Tony Iervasi, the former sole director of Courtenay House, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison with a non-parole period of seven years for his role in orchestrating a $180 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded hundreds of investors. In the ongoing case that has lasted for years, charges have also been brought against other individuals.

Former Director of $180M Ponzi Scheme Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison

The Courtenay House companies, based in Sydney, operated under the guise of a legitimate forex and futures trading business. However, only about 3% of the funds deposited by investors were actually traded. Instead, Iervasi used new investor capital to pay returns to existing clients, perpetuating the classic structure of a Ponzi scheme.

Over a period of approximately 6.5 years, from December 2010 to April 2017, Iervasi's scheme raised around $180 million from approximately 585 investors. The total net loss to victims amounted to $54 million, with Iervasi personally benefiting from about $12 million of the fraudulently obtained funds.

“Mr. Iervasi’s actions betrayed the trust of his clients and inflicted damage on hundreds of people,” commented ASIC Deputy Chairwoman, Sarah Court. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that such deliberate fraudulent activities will not be tolerated.”

Two Others Also Plead Guilty

Iervasi is not the only individual implicated in the $180 million Ponzi scheme . Last year, criminal charges were also presented against David Sipina, a former director at Courtenay House. According to court records, Sipina could face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a fine of $810,000 for his actions.

In March of this year, Sipina confessed to operating a financial services business without the necessary license from 2015 to 2017, in collaboration with others. He also admitted to dealing with proceeds of crime amounting to $1 million or more.

Furthermore, in May 2023, a former contractor Athan Papoulias was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. His sentence is to be served through an intensive corrections order along with completing 120 hours of community service.

Harm Went beyond Financial Losses

The sentence was handed down by Justice Deborah Sweeney in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, following Iervasi's guilty plea to multiple charges of financial misconduct.

Justice Sweeney highlighted the severe consequences for the scheme's victims, which extended beyond financial losses.

“As well as the loss of life savings and family homes, the harm went beyond financial losses to breakdowns of marriages and family relationships, emotional, physical and mental health issues, and the need to delay retirement or resume working in the face of a loss of financial security in their mature years,” she said.

Iervasi pleaded guilty to four counts of engaging in dishonest conduct related to financial products or services, as well as one count of operating an unlicensed financial services business.

The case was prosecuted by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions following an investigation and referral by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC ).