By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A general manager with a gambling problem has been jailed for white-collar theft totalling more than $287,000 from her employer at Dandenong South
Anna Drozdek, 51, formerly of Chelsea, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to five dishonesty charges, including theft from trucking company Spiral Logistic over a three-year period.
In a “substantial breach of trust”, she stole 233 mobile phones and iPads worth $204,722, which she bought from Optus under Spiral’s name.
Drozdek was charged also with on-selling some of those devices to a woman in Newport for $81,400.
She had also pocketed more than $83,000 in payments from Spiral’s clients and insurer that were intended for the business.
Sentencing judge Trevor Wraight noted on 9 August that all of the money was apparently squandered at Crown Casino.
Drozdek lost more than $375,000 gambling for nearly 1400 hours while at the casino across her time of offending in 2017-’19.
“It’s clear that gambling was intrinsically connected to your offending.”
As a regular gambler, the casino offered her inducements such as tickets to sport events and concerts, free drinks, valet parking, and access to exclusive casino rooms, she submitted.
She gambled alone, with apparently little other social connections, Judge Wraight said. She had since moved in with her mother in Ascot Vale.
Her ruse was discovered by the business’s new owner, after he purchased Sprial, took over Drozdek’s role and paid her a redundancy in 2019.
Drozdek told him she thought the phones were free, and that she’d given them to all 90 truck drivers as an incentive to recruit more truckies.
She’d also given them to clients as gifts, she claimed.
After discovering 37 SIM cards in Drozdek’s former work drawer, the owner reported the matter to Dandenong police.
According to a victim impact statement, the owner and his family endured a “heavy and stressful” burden, Judge Wraight said.
It took considerable time and effort to re-establish damaged relationships with suppliers.
Drozdek’s “serious dishonest offending” arose from her position of trust as general manager, including being in control of the business’s telecommunication services, the judge noted.
With no prior history, no diagnosed mental illness or drug or alcohol issues, she was assessed as a low risk of reoffending.
During her “excellent” work history, she had lent $200,000 to Spiral to help the business out of financial difficulties about a decade ago.
She’d shown regret, remorse and insight in a letter to the court, and made an early guilty plea.
Drozdek was jailed for six months, followed by a two-year community corrections order.
As part of the CCO, Drozdek must complete 250 hours of unpaid work and problem-gambling treatment.
