Electrical wholesaler loses $500,000 in scheme by three people
Three people defrauded POPES Electrical of more than $500,000 through false invoices and stock theft from 2016 to 2019.
Steven Quilter and Ricky John Byrne, who managed POPES Electrical in Canberra, defrauded the business of hundreds of thousands of dollars over three years. Quilter was the branch manager and Byrne was a sales manager.
Quilter and Byrne bought electrical items from Harvey Norman using the company's credit card and account. Quilter and Byrne either refunded the purchases into personal bank accounts or added them to customer invoices worth up to $230,000 a month.
The pair also stole stock directly from POPES and sold it on eBay and to smaller businesses with help from Quilter's wife, Lisa. A forensic accountant calculated the total loss at more than $500,000, including about $250,000 in settlements paid to customers who had been wrongly charged.
After insurance payouts, the business was left more than $250,000 out of pocket. Steven Quilter, Byrne and Lisa Quilter pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
- $500,000+
- Total loss
- 2016 to 2019
- Period of fraud
- $250,000
- Customer settlements
Why it mattersThe fraud devastated a 40-year-old family business, showing how trusted staff can cause catastrophic financial harm.
AustraliaA long-established ACT business said the loss pushed it into financial and operational crisis, affecting local employment and suppliers.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 9 d ago
