Robyn Lunney, a bookkeeper for Cut Price Kitchens in Melbourne’s south-east, was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison for stealing over $500,000 from the family-owned business. Over a period of four years, Lunney used the company’s bank account as her personal chequebook, inflating her wages and making payments to her own account disguised as business expenses. She spent the stolen money on luxury items such as beauty treatments and clothes, totaling $100,000.
During her time at Cut Price Kitchens, Lunney made 221 unauthorized transactions totaling $561,922 into her own account. These transactions varied in amount from a few hundred dollars to nearly $8,000, all in an effort to fund her lavish lifestyle. The owners of the business only discovered Lunney’s theft after her employment had ended and they were training a new bookkeeper. Lunney’s actions have since landed her in legal trouble, as she faces similar allegations from another business.
Lunney appeared in the County Court of Victoria dressed in a blue jumper with her hair tied back in a bun, confirming her name but otherwise remaining silent throughout the proceedings. The court heard that Lunney had used her position as a bookkeeper to manipulate the company’s finances and transfer funds into her personal account under false pretenses. This breach of trust ultimately led to her conviction and imprisonment for embezzlement.
The court documents released to the media revealed the extent of Lunney’s scheme, detailing how she manipulated the company’s financial records to cover up her theft. The owners of Cut Price Kitchens were shocked to discover the extent of Lunney’s deception, as she had successfully hidden her actions for years. The stolen funds were used by Lunney to finance her extravagant lifestyle, with purchases totaling $100,000 on luxury items and beauty treatments.
Lunney’s actions not only cost Cut Price Kitchens over half a million dollars but also exposed her to legal consequences, as she faces charges from another business for similar allegations of theft. Her betrayal of trust as a bookkeeper has had far-reaching consequences for both the company and herself, resulting in a lengthy prison sentence. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of financial oversight and integrity in the workplace to prevent such incidents of embezzlement from occurring in the future.
