A real estate agent in Melbourne has received a three-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to stealing almost $100,000 from an elderly client of hers, and spending the money on expensive goods for herself.
Hayley Philpot, a 29-year-old agent, pleaded guilty in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to taking advantage of being given power of attorney for an 80-year-old woman whom she helped sell the home of, and using that power to spend so much of the woman’s money that she “will not financially recover from this”.
“This is the most egregious breach of the power of attorney provision,” read a submission from the prosecution.
Over 15 months, Philpot used the fact she was able to access the 80-year-old’s funds to spend $98,844 between May 2020 and August 2021.
Some of the things that Philpot spent her victim’s money on include:
- A new iPhone and MacBook.
- Luxury fashion at Zara and Kookai.
- Hair and beauty treatment.
- Products at JB Hi-Fi, Kmart, and Bunnings.
- Car repairs.
- Food at cafes and restaurants.
- Drinks at bottleshops.
- Movie tickets.
- Random crap from eBay.
- Pet accessories.
- A $40K “bikie gang debt” for her brother.
- And a bunch of deliveries from Uber and Deliveroo.
Philpot was arrested by police in 2022 after her victim sought legal help to find out why her bank account was being drained.
On Monday in the court, the prosecution argued that Philpot should be jailed for exploiting the “vulnerability of the victim to steal her much needed funds”, and that she ignored the duty of trust that comes with power of attorney.
As a result, Philpot was sentenced to three months in jail and ordered to pay back more than $60,000 to her victim that she still owed.
Philpot previously worked as a real estate agent for Savoy Real Estate and Ray White, but has been a freelance agent since 2020.
