A gambling addict who cheated a grieving family out of over $64,000 from a GoFundMe he set up avoided jail. Lachlan Morganti, 26, received a two-year community corrections order and 400 hours of community service in Ballarat magistrates’ court in Victoria, Australia.

Severe gambling addiction

Morganti squandered the proceeds from a fundraiser he’d arranged for the family of 23-year-old Hannah McGuire, whose body was found in a burnt-out car in April. Surpassing an original goal of $15,000 only 4 days into the fundraiser, the GoFundMe raised over $64,000. Through his connection with the Clunes Cricket Club, where Morganti was a player, he befriended Hannah’s family and started a fundraiser to assist with funeral expenses and other financial needs.

In a previous hearing, the court learned that Morganti struggled with a severe gambling addiction, and he’d previously used $10,000 from his superannuation to fuel his problem. He intended to use the money to pay off previous gambling debts he’d amassed. Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz admitted if he’d not pleased guilty, Morganti would have faced a sentence of six months in prison.

Violation of McGuire family’s grief

Mykytowycz told Morganti, “the temptation to use this money to recover significant debts from previous gambling losses became overwhelming and self-indulgent. Your act has infringed on the McGuire family’s ability to grieve in private and with dignity given the unwarranted attention that has flowed from your actions.” Hannah’s mother, Debbie McGuire, faced Morganti as she told the court, “Not only did the accused violate our trust, but he had a complete disregard for and betrayal of the trust and generosity of an entire community. Instead of the focus being on Hannah’s devastating circumstances of her death, it was diverted elsewhere.” “We won’t ever be able to spend the money in the way we intended. It’s gone, and we’ll never get it back. I feel incredibly heartbroken for those who financially contributed at a time when they felt helpless and didn’t know what else they could do for us.”

Confession to the family

Morganti confessed to the victim’s mother the following month he’d squandered the money in just four to five days. Debbie McGuire informed the police, who said Morganti justified his behaviour by stating that he intended to use the money to tackle his mounting debts and address his gambling addiction. The victim’s mother also told the court that Morganti displayed “a complete disregard of the trust and generosity of an entire community.” He attended Hannah’s funeral alongside people whose donations he had plundered. Despite the McGuire family not receiving any funds, GoFundMe has agreed to reimburse all donors who contributed to Hannah’s family fundraiser. Morganti, who registered with national gambling self-exclusion register Bet Stop following the incident, told the media outside of court that he was “sorry it got to this stage. I never meant for this to happen… I am incredibly sorry.” Hannah’s ex-boyfriend Lachlan Young, who pleaded not guilty to murder, faces his next hearing on December 9, 2024.

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