Employee stole for gambling binge

Employee stole for gambling binge


A Filipino hotel manager went on a cocaine-fuelled five-day gambling bender, Queenstown District Court was told last week.


Carolito Surreal Ross, 33, of Arrowtown, appeared for sentence before Judge Michael Turner after admitting five fraud charges and two theft charges last year.


He admitted stealing $4195 from his employer, Nugget Point Hotel, to feed a gambling addiction between October 28 and November 2.


Sentencing was delayed while Ross sought a suitable address for community or home detention.


In a previous appearance, the court was told Ross was an assistant manager at the Queenstown resort and used his position to send money directly to his accounts via eftpos.


When he ran out of money gambling at Lasseter's casino he went to his work and used a merchant card to transfer money, a step he repeated, returning to the casino after each transaction.


Judge Turner said Ross was employed in a position of trust with access to the merchant card, which can be used to give refunds to guests via eftpos.


He consumed a quantity of cocaine and embarked on five days' gambling, returning to his place of work on occasions to transfer money to his account. He also opened a safe and stole cash.


A victim impact report by Ross's employer said his actions had caused "immeasurable damage" to cash flows and staff morale.


"You were offered and took cocaine and went on a gambling binge," Judge Turner said.

Ross's lawyer Phena Byrne said he had consumed drugs to excess and gambled during a "five-day bender."


He was sentenced to three months' community detention, to include an 8pm to 8am curfew, 300 hours' community work and 18 months' judicially monitored intensive supervision.


Judge Turner also ordered Ross to attend alcohol, drug and gambling counselling as directed by the Probation Service, and to pay $4195 reparation.