MJH Group wins battle against fraudster Mackael Stockhausen over $1million fraud

Stockhausen worked for the company as an administrator between 2016 and 2017. In 2018 he pleaded guilty to 18 counts of obtain benefit by deception, but has tried to backpedal from his admissions ever since, disputing how much he stole, and how he stole it.

At the heart of the issue is whether or not he stole $1 million through a series of invoices which led back to his own bank accounts, for IT equipment that was never purchased nor delivered, or whether he only owed $100,000, for the GST which accrued on that amount over time.

After a three-day hearing on the issue of quantum, and seven other full days in court with Stockhausen arguing over other aspects of the same fraud, Magistrate Peter Barnett said he was left in no doubt about the truth.

"I find it easy to reject his assertion ... I have considered this matter carefully over a long period of time," Mr Barnett said, before confirming Stockhausen stole the entire $1 million he was charged with.

Stockhausen was responsible for managing computer software and hardware orders for MJH Group, but stole money by creating and paying invoices to a business known as IT Supplies Direct. That company belonged to Stockhausen, and the money was going into one of his own accounts.

He has variously tried to argue that somebody else changed invoices initially created by him, and that he never received a benefit, and that in any case his father paid the company back $1 million, but the court found there was no evidence of any of those things.

The court has heard that Stockhausen managed to raise the ire of colleagues and staff at MJH Group, including one director who gave evidence after being challenged by Stockhausen for telling him to 'f--- off' at a meeting, which was not properly recorded in the meeting minutes.

The director disputed the claim, saying what he actually said was: " Get out of my f---ing office,' and 'I hope you go to jail for a long time'. The comment was not recorded because it was said after the meeting was closed and as Stockhausen left the room, he said. The matter will come back to court to set a sentence date on May 26.

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