An Australia Post worker who stole dozens of bank cards from secure mail on his Sydney eastern suburbs beat to fund a gambling addiction has been jailed until December 2027 for leading two criminal syndicates. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
Mauro Paul Coluzzi, 57, and two co-conspirators defrauded customers and their banks of more than $100,000 over 15 months. The postie personally obtained nearly $30,000 in cash and goods from the stolen cards, including two 24-carat gold bracelets bought 12 hours before his arrest.
In Sydney's Sutherland local court on Thursday, judge Jillian Kiely found Coluzzi reduced community confidence in the reliability of the postal service and prison time was a must.
"(Cards) were stolen from the post which was a significant breach of trust … to safely deliver these items to customers," she said.
An unblemished postal worker since 2007, Coluzzi began looking for new ways to fund a debilitating gambling addiction in early 2024, Kiely said.
"I hope they all work, I need money bro," Coluzzi told one of his co-offenders.
"I'm fucked bro, I gotta pay my credit card."
The agreed facts of the case state that, by the end of the scheme, Coluzzi was worried about changes to Australia Post procedures that would stop him from accessing new cards.
"It's only gonna be parcels bro, and I can't fucking touch parcels," he said to an unnamed person.
Australia Post has zero tolerance for illegal activity in its network, a spokesperson said.
"We worked very closely with NSW Police throughout their investigation and continually review systems and processes to strengthen the security of our operations."
Coluzzi is estimated to have gambled millions of dollars throughout his life and the excessive losses put repeated strain on his marriage, Kiely said.
For 15 months, the Australia Post employee and his accomplices systematically stole dozens of cards from secure mail and obtained more than $100,000 in cash and fraudulent purchases.
The men bought perfume, a night out in Darling Harbour, scented candles and more than a dozen phones and tablets.
Thousands of cigarettes, phone recharge cards, groceries and Roblox gift cards were also in the haul.
Coluzzi's barrister, Troy Edwards SC, argued a community sentence would be an appropriate punishment for the 57-year-old.
But Kiely said the offending was too serious for any sentence but jail.
As Coluzzi was led away by sheriff's officers from the court, a member of his family collapsed and had to be assisted from the court.
He will be eligible for parole in December 2027.
In Australia, Gambling Help Online is available on 1800 858 858. The National Debt Helpline is at 1800 007 007. In the UK, support for problem gambling can be found via the NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic on 020 7381 7722, or GamCare on 0808 8020 133. In the US, call the National Council on Problem Gambling on 1-800-MY-RESET.