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| "Cynical": Cornel Dobbs |
Two greedy Transport for London Oyster card customer call centre employees created bogus accounts to refund themselves a total of £15,482.
Ainsley Cornel Dobbs, 32, and graduate Melissa Cantoni, 25, created unique emails for non-existent customers and paid themselves Oyster and season ticket and travel card refunds.
Judge Alexander Milne QC said: “The charges reflect the combined efforts of the defendants to defraud Transport for London (TfL) over a considerable period of time using false names, concocted email addresses and Oyster card accounts.
“It was a cynical and well thought out fraud over a considerable period of time, breaching a position of trust placed in both of you.”
Today father-of-two Cornel Dobbs, of Loveland Mansions, Upney Lane, Barking received 14 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months and must complete 150 hours community service work.
Italian-born Cantoni, of The Manor, High Street, Hornsey received 6 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months and must complete 100 hours community service.
Prosecutor Mr. Mark Hunsley told Blackfriars Crown Court Cornel Dobbs was responsible for 57 bogus refunds totalling £12,634.85p and Cantoni 9 refunds totalling £2,847.65p.
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| "Breach Of Trust": Cantoni |
“Both these defendants were employed at the TfL call centre in Greenwich and had access to the customer online accounts system and refund system for people who did not properly tap in or out or had to cancel a season ticket or travel card.
“It was their job to process these refunds to customers.”
Fraud analyst John Mulligan reviewed the high-value refunds on the TfL system.
“It seemed to suggest these defendants were processing artificial refunds to their own accounts or to the accounts of people connected to them,” said Mr. Hunsley.
“They set-up online Oyster accounts using an email or a dormant account and drafted an email pretending to be a customer requesting a refund.
“They would then allocate these customers to themselves when they arrived at work and process them.”
They were both arrested at the Greenwich centre on June 5, last year and had their mobile phones seized, which contained incriminating messages.
“There were a number of messages sent to friends and family requesting or arranging for money to be paid into their accounts,” explained Mr. Hunsley.
Cornel Hobbs even paid some of the stolen money into his mother’s account, but said nothing to police when questioned.
Cantoni admitted everything. “She said Cornel Dobbs showed her how to do it and her boyfriend at the time had gambling problems and she did it for the money.”
Cantoni had never been in trouble before and Grenfell Tower fire volunteer Cornel Dobbs has convictions for assault.
“The offences are relatively sophisticated and took place over a long period and they were in a position of responsibility,” added the prosecutor.
Cornel Hobbs’ lawyer Mr. Anthony Heaton-Armstrong told the court the defendant also has responsibility for his girlfriend’s two older children as well as their eight-month old baby and his older daughter.
“He is very sorry about the position he has put his dependants in. He is very chastened. His financial situation is pretty grim at the moment.”
Cantoni’s lawyer Mr. Martin Taylor said: “She has genuine remorse. The boyfriend she was living with had a serious gambling habit.
“It is not for TfL to shoulder the responsibility of her boyfriend’s gambling habit.
“She tells me she always expected to be found out because it was all traceable, all there. An act of ridiculous folly on her part.”
Cantoni is now in a better-paid job. “She has gone back to a normal, honest life.”
Neither were ordered to pay compensation, but must pay £500 costs and a £140 victim surcharge each. “It lies in the hands of TfL to pursue you through the civil courts,” said the judge.
“These are perhaps exceptional circumstances. Theft from employer is taken very seriously indeed.”
Cornel Hobbs pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position between September 28 and October 31, 2017, plus fraud with Cantoni between October 30, 2017 and May 30, last year.
Cantoni pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position between October 31, 2017 and May 29, last year.
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