A Melbourne commercial agent found guilty of dealing with over half a million dollars’ worth of criminal proceeds has claimed to be the victim of a scam.
Alexey Jarrel, who works as a partner at Jarrel Estate Agents, recently appeared before the Victorian County Court for a plea hearing over four charges.
Jarrel was appealing three charges of negligently dealing with the proceeds of crime and one charge of recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Consumer Affairs Victoria said that Jarrel’s real estate licence was still valid, despite allegations that he handled approximately $600,000 in criminal proceeds.
As reported by the Herald Sun, Jarrel’s defence lawyer Campbell Thomson described him as “gullible” and as someone who was the victim of a scam.
“There was nothing to indicate that there was anything criminal in what he was doing,” Thomson said.
Thomson said that if Jarrel were sent to jail, his business and several deals would be jeopardised.
Judge George Georgiou said that while Jarrel may not have engaged in anything illegal, he needs evidence rather than to rely on a “broad and general statement”.
Jarrel was remanded on bail for a further plea hearing on 31 March.
Jarrel’s case reminded agents to ensure they are doing their due diligence in reporting any funds they believe may be linked to potential money laundering, ahead of the upcoming AML/CTF reforms coming into effect on 1 July 2026.
The reforms, introduced by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), aim to reduce the risk of financial crime across several industries, including real estate.
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