Ms Emma Feduniw (also known as Emma Khalil) of Brisbane, Queensland, a former mortgage broker with AHL Investments Pty Ltd (trading as Aussie), has admitted through her solicitor to eight charges brought by ASIC. The charges related to the falsification of employment documents to secure approvals for home loans, submitted to Westpac.
ASIC's investigation found that between March 2013 and February 2014, Ms Feduniw submitted eight loan applications, totalling $2,720,400, containing false borrower employment letters. Of the eight loan applications, five were approved and disbursed, totalling $1,608,400. Ms Feduniw received commission on those five loans of $6,847.53.
The eight loan applications ranged in value from $250,000 to $480,000.
Ms Feduniw appeared before Beenleigh's Magistrates Court and through her solicitor admitted to providing documents knowing they were false or misleading.
ASIC Deputy Chairman Peter Kell said, 'The credit laws are designed to ensure borrowers do not take out loans they cannot afford. Actions by mortgage brokers to circumvent the laws, for their own financial benefit, erode trust and confidence in the mortgage broking industry and will not be tolerated'.
Ms Feduniw next appears in court on 3 June 2016 for sentencing.
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) is prosecuting the matter.
Background
Ms Feduniw was authorised to provide credit services as a credit representative to consumers from 1 July 2010 to 4 April 2014, when Aussie terminated her authorisation.
Ms Feduniw received her commission through Miga Loans Pty Ltd (ACN 106 962 467) a company controlled and owned by her.
Ms Feduniw was charged by ASIC under section 160D of the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 whilst she was engaging in credit activity on behalf of Aussie. Section 160D makes it an offence for a person engaging in credit activities to give false or misleading information or documents to another person. She appeared in Court and pleaded guilty to the charges on 1 April 2016.
Ms Feduniw faces a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment or a fine, for each charge.