Found Deceased Australia - Karen Ristevski, 47, Melbourne, Vic, 29 June 2016 - #18 *Arrest*

[SouthAussie]

I've received a Google alert for this article, but I can't open it - anyone?


Ristevski lawyer jailed for embezzlement
The Ristevski family lawyer who claimed to have intimate knowledge of when part of a $360,000 inheritance was paid to the slain mother prior to her death has landed himself in hot water thanks to his own money woes.


Ristevski lawyer George James Bouhalis jailed for ripping off clients

Herald Sun

The family lawyer of slain mother Karen Ristevski has been jailed after he embezzled more than a million dollars from his clients. George James ...

It says ...

His name is George James Bouhalis
He was sentenced in the Vic Supreme Court on 14th October
Minimum two years and nine months in prison, max 5 years and 5 months
He plead guilty to several counts of theft and false accounting
They struck him off the legal roll, he can't practise any more
The offences happened between 2013 and 2017 when he worked as George James Lawyers
Karen and Borce were among his clients at the time
He had inside knowledge of when Karen received her portion of the $360,000 inheritance left by her father
None of his offending is to do with Karen and Borce
He siphoned $1.47 million from clients funds in the firm’s trust account
He had struggled financially since 2001 - when a former legal partnership was dissolved
His money situation got worse in 2007 when he paid a $150,000 personal liability bill after a client went bankrupt
He started embezzling to pay personal debts
He took money from one client, paid it back from another client, paid that back from another client, and so on
This scheme spiralled out of control
Covered up the withdrawals with false accounting entries and false cheque stubs
Main victims were Calhand Pty Ltd and Dabrant Pty Ltd, vendors of a housing development called The Pasco, as well as estate funds belonging to the Haralampou family
Fidelity Fund repaid the money to the victims
Calhand and Dabrant had made a complaint to Legal Services Board, started investigation rolling
He had actually been suspended from his profession previously (on 'another matter'), and that is when he did the bulk of this offending - while he was suspended

Category: | Herald Sun

 

[tmar]

Less than 2 weeks to go, before we hear of the Appeal results.

 

[Amalgam]

Less than 2 weeks to go, before we hear of the Appeal results.

I wish that was the case, I’m itching to see a successful appeal against Borce’s sentence, but I am under the impression that the appeal hearing itself is on the 13th of November.

Even if the whole hearing takes less than one day, it is often the case that the result of an appeal is announced in the days/weeks following the hearing, to give time to consider the legal arguments on both sides, the relevant case law & legal precedents.

In the (imho likely) event that a decision isn’t handed down immediately at the conclusion of the hearing, they will likely indicate a date on which their decision will be released.

 

[tmar]

I wish that was the case, I’m itching to see a successful appeal against Borce’s sentence, but I am under the impression that the appeal hearing itself is on the 13th of November.

Even if the whole hearing takes less than one day, it is often the case that the result of an appeal is announced in the days/weeks following the hearing, to give time to consider the legal arguments on both sides, the relevant case law & legal precedents.

In the (imho likely) event that a decision isn’t handed down immediately at the conclusion of the hearing, they will likely indicate a date on which their decision will be released.

If you are correct, perhaps we will not have any decision today.
I wonder if we will hear anything: IF BR, SR will be in attendance at the Appeal Hearing, Decision or just a Final Statement.
I want these two, to keep squirming for years.

 

[they'll get you]

If you are correct, perhaps we will not have any decision today.
I wonder if we will hear anything: IF BR, SR will be in attendance at the Appeal Hearing, Decision or just a Final Statement.
I want these two, to keep squirming for years.

IMO there were two accessories after the fact & I’d bet the farm the bro knew everything.

 

[sleepinoz]

Borce Ristevski sentence reviewed today

Borce Ristevski will find out today if his sentence will be increased.

 

[they'll get you]

Everything crossed for justice today for Karen’s loved ones.

 

[they'll get you]

No news? Do you know anything Steve?

 

[they'll get you]

Nothing.
I’m so suspicious of Vic.

 

[Trooper]

Maybe he had a little 'turn' and it's been postponed...…..

 

[they'll get you]

Maybe he had a little 'turn' and it's been postponed...…..

I know this is improbable but I’m so suspicious of Victoria at the moment I wonder if there is a suppression order so we don’t know how slack they are.

I still recon there should be at least one accessory charge.

 

[Edgarb]

I believe it is scheduled to start tomorrow.

The Supreme Court of Appeals daily list is updated at 3.15pm for the following day.

I am looking forward to hopefully a successful appeal and his expectations of his release date changing.

 

[Amalgam]

I believe it is scheduled to start tomorrow.

The Supreme Court of Appeals daily list is updated at 3.15pm for the following day.

I am looking forward to hopefully a successful appeal and his expectations of his release date changing.

It looks like you’re right. The Herald Sun posted an article (paywalled, so I can’t read it all) that says the appeal starts tomorrow.

For those with a Herald Sun subscription, the link is [URL="https://amp.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/prosecutors-fight-for-longer-sentence-for-wife-killer-borce-ristevski/news-story/9792975f4374b7971b40cba00f2503d3"]burgerIcon[/url]

 

[sleepinoz]

Just posted elsewhere

 

[they'll get you]

Channel 7 sunrise.

It will be live-streamed over the Supremem court website.

three judges will be overseeing this appeal

He will no attend but via video

 

[they'll get you]

Access the live stream of the hearing here. (Video stream available from 10.30 am)



https://www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au/news/dpp-v-borce-ristevski

Information on the appeal hearing in the matter of DPP v Borce Ristevski.

The appeal hearing in Director of Public Prosecutions v Borce Ristevski will be heard by the Court of Appeal on 15 November 2019.

The hearing is in relation to an appeal against sentence filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The proceeding is scheduled to begin at 10.30 am and will be live streamed via the Court's website.

 

[SouthAussie]

The female judge does not like that Borce did not explain how Karen's death happened - and yet he got a lesser sentence than the referenced case where the killer did explain what happened, and explained it within 3 days. imo

And one of the male judges ...

"Did you snooker the judge by your client not telling the judge what happened?" (So the judge could not determine the low/mid/high level of offending)

"He has a right to silence, but if he volunteered what happened it might go toward the 'low' level of offending"

Judge: "There is no remorse"
Lawyer: "There is no evidence of remorse"
Judge: "Then there is no remorse"

They are certainly grilling the defence lawyer ... much more than they asked questions of the prosecutor.

I have hope.

 

[SouthAussie]

“In terms of the actual nature and duration of the violence, (Justice Beale) was simply in a position not to make a judgment,” Mr Hallowes said.

However, Chief Justice Anne Ferguson quickly shot back: “He’s in that position because the one person who knows what happened has remained silent.”

“We just don’t know the circumstances,” Mr Hallowes said.

But Justice Whelan told him: “There is no evidence of a reason. So there’s no apparent reason for what he did.”

Judge rejects Ristevski’s argument

 

[drsleuth]

Lawyers for Borce Ristevski attempting to paint him as a "good" man. "We say that clearly he was a man of good character. He had no prior convictions. He worked hard." Here he is carrying his wife's coffin, long before he admitted to killing her and dumping her body.

Rohan Smith on Twitter

 

[SouthAussie]

Lawyers for Borce Ristevski attempting to paint him as a "good" man. "We say that clearly he was a man of good character. He had no prior convictions. He worked hard." Here he is carrying his wife's coffin, long before he admitted to killing her and dumping her body.

Rohan Smith on Twitter

Umm .... yeah

I noticed that the Supreme Court judges referenced Borce's lies and ongoing deception many times in their comments and questions to Borce's defence lawyer.