Luke Moore – aka ‘Milky Moore’ snatched $1.2million from St George Bank after it allowed him unlimited overdrafts
A podcast and film are being made about the story of how a young Australian man got away with $2.1 million of bank money.
Luke “Milky” Moore was laid off from his job following a car accident that occurred on the 21st of his girlfriend. He was receiving Centrelink benefits and had just opened a St. George Freedom Account in 2010.
Although the forklift driver was a smoker, he wasn’t a snob. He had worked since age 13 and purchased a home two years later.
He wanted to be able to control his income and expenses, including the mortgage repayments. However, he discovered that St George offered him an unrestricted overdraft.
Soon, Mr Moore realized that he could ask for tens or thousands of dollars per time. The bank would pay him regardless of whether he had any savings.
The next thing the 23-year old did was not surprising: He bought cars, hired prostitutes and snorted cocaine to the point that he had spent more than $2million. Police arrived at his home.
A decade later, Mr Moore’s story will be told on a podcast by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies. Also, a film about Moore’s two-years of extravagant spending is currently in production.
He is a former bank teller and has now written a book detailing his experiences.
Moore calls himself ‘Australian’s number one police officer and expert in political corruption’. He is also a ‘justice fighter’ and advocate for human rights.
The podcast and movie about how Luke Moore spent $2.1million from a bank is now available. Moore discovered that he was able to withdraw any amount he wants without having the bank ask him for repayment.
Luke Moore discovered he had an unlimited credit card and went on a shopping spree that ended in his arrest. Moore was sentenced for obtaining financial advantage through deceit, but his conviction was overturned. Here is Moore’s Maserati, which he purchased
Moore also bought memorabilia from sports and music, including this autographed Michael Jordan singlet. Also, he bought autographed photos of Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan as well as Kylie Minogue and Guns N’ Roses.
He got his ‘Milky’ nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle’s famous white chocolate product.
Although he never denied that he took St George’s money, a father-of-1 did not deny it. However, if he had, remuneration would have been impossible. This was too great an opportunity not to seize it.
Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime.
His sentence was concurrent: four year, six month and three year prison terms, together with two-year, three-month non-parole sentences.
Moore challenged convictions at the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment before the David v Goliath court battle overturned the convictions.
He claims that victory caused him to be persecuted and has since waged an all-out campaign against illegal police conduct.
Moore spent six months behind bars before his convictions in the David v Goliath case were overturned. Moore believes that his victory caused him to be persecuted and has since waged an all-out campaign against illegal police conduct.
Moore did not deny taking St George’s money, but he didn’t admit that he would have paid it back. It was too good to miss. Here is the autograph that Michael Jackson signed in a frame.
Following allegations by Senator Kristina Kenneally that Moore threatened to kill an officer, Mr Moore has been involved in an ongoing dispute between the NSW Police Force and Mr Moore.
Now 34, the victim traces his troubles with the police back to the accidental gain from St George that the state’s highest judge found was solely the bank’s.
Daily Mail Australia’s Moore stated that they hold grudges against each other and won’t give up.
“I was illegally detained and searched in my underwear within a few months after I was acquitted, then again the following week.
“I sued them twice for four different incidents, and each time the taxpayer was hit with more than $100,000.” The cost of my fraud trial was probably $2million.
The prosecution claimed that Mr Moore deceived by “conduct that causes a computer or machine to respond in a way that it isn’t authorized to.”
After Senator Kristina Keneally wrongly accuses her son, a cop, of torturing another officer with threats to murder him, Mr Moore has a dispute with the NSW Police Force. Pictured are Constable Keneally (left), his father Ben, and Gladys Berejiklian, former premier of NSW.
However, the Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed and found that Mr Moore had not deceived anyone.
Justice Mark Leeming found that Mr Moore was honest in his borrowing and spending of funds, but he didn’t deceive banks.
With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a ‘Princess Diana’ £10 note.
He bought Picasso sketches, a few Andy Warhols and sporting memorabilia including a signed Michael Jordan singlet.
Moore spent a fortune on vacations to Thailand. He then flew to Surfer’s Paradise to spend a weekend and moved to Gold Coast.
After being cleared from defrauding the bank, Mr Moore said that he thought it was a great experience. I had a great time, that’s certain.
He spent $30,000 on an Hyundai Veloster to get his Alfa running again so that he could drive all the way from Sydney to Gold Coast in order to purchase a Maserati for $36,000.
His story will be told by Jim Jefferies, an Australian comedian. Also, a film about Moore’s two-year long spending spree is currently in production. Onetime bank teller, who just finished a law degree, hopes to own his own law firm.
Moore answered anyone who asked him how he was able to afford the dissolute lifestyle he had created. I still get mad royalties.’
After his release, he said that he was doing the same thing as most young men when they are their age. He just wanted to have fun and party.
“I used to go to strip clubs, and I spent many thousands of dollars on women, drugs and other things.”
Moore waited for the bank to call him, asking for his money back. The bank never did this and continued to spend their money.
Moore lived in Goulburn at the time he opened the appropriately named Freedom Account with St George at a branch nearby on March 11, 2010.
Moore was able to borrow money through this account by making periodic payments or withdrawing cash.
Moore made any request for money to the bank. He did not have to pay any fees. Interest was charged on overdrawn amounts.
After his release, Mr Moore stated that he was doing the same thing as most young men when they are this age. He said that he had been having fun partying and just doing the right things. He bought a Kylie Minogue signed picture.
Moore stated that he spent hundreds of thousands on drugs, girls and alcohol in strip clubs. This signed photo of Top Gear hosts was part of his memorabilia collection.
The account had been overdrawn more than $2.1million by the time it was shut down on August 10, 2012.
Initially, $441 in fortnightly Centrleink payments were made into the account. Mr Moore then took out a series $440 withdraws over the next few months.
Moore began using his account in June 2010 to pay $524 per fortnight on his mortgage. However, there were very few automatic withdrawals.
Around Christmas, he took five cash withdrawals totaling $4,999 and then four additional the following month.
Moore took two additional withdrawals totaling $49,000 on January 12th and 13, leaving the account with more than $150,000 in negative equity.
In December 2011, the balance was $229,000 and Moore had begun to spend big in the eight months that followed.
In June, he made PayPal payments totaling $145,000 and $80,000 respectively in July. For at least one month, interest was charged at approximately 20% and cost more than $30,000
Moore bought Picasso drawings and some Andy Warhol pieces, as well as the Pro Hart painting. After spending a lot of money on vacations to Thailand, he moved to the Gold Coast after a short stay in Surfer’s Paradise.
Moore answered anyone who asked him how he was able to afford the dissolute lifestyle he had created. I still get mad royalties.’ Here is the painting that he purchased
On December 12, 2012, Armed Police executed a search warrant at Mr Moore’s home while Moore was sleeping in his bedroom. They found an incredible collection of memorabilia from sports and music.
They grabbed a drum shell autographed Amy Winehouse.
The key for an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe was found by police. It cost $91,000 and a 6.1m aluminum Stessl 560 Seahawk, which retailed at $54,000.
St George recovered more than $1.2 million worth of property, which included $733,000 in National Australia Bank accounts and $394,000 PayPal accounts.
Justice Leeming noted that this case is unusual. It could have gone against Mr Moore’s best interests if he was receiving unrequested payments instead of seeking loans.
‘Although Mr Moore’s behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,’ Justice Mark Leeming found
With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a ‘Princess Diana’ £10 note
Justice Leeming in 2016 found that ‘it is absolutely clear that there was an error of some sort within the bank.
“A mistaken payment is a civil matter and gives rise to a claim for recovery.
To be clear, it is not a good guide for the legal position.
“It is the law that, subject to defenses, a party who makes a mistaken payment can recover it.
“But, in this case, Bank’s error was not in paying Moore but in continuing lending Mr Moore large amounts.
St George could have been paid back the money Mr Moore had loaned him but it did not necessarily mean that he was guilty of a crime.
Justice Leeming concluded that Moore’s behavior was not only outrageously foolish, but dishonest.
Moore was living on the Gold Coast, and his Alfa Romeo was in disrepair. He spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veoster to be able to drive to Sydney to get a Maserati for $36,000.
Before Mr Moore went out drinking and dancing all night in Kings Cross, he rented a suite at The Star Casino and set off on holiday to Thailand.
“He continued borrowing and consuming funds, even knowing that he didn’t have any realistic prospects of repaying the money and realizing that something was wrong with the bank’s system.
Justice Leeming stated that in order to show Mr Moore had gotten a financial advantage through deception, it was necessary to demonstrate that he deceived someone within the bank.
He stated that Mr Moore’s behavior was unusual because there wasn’t anything covert.
St George’s statements recorded every debit and charged an interest fee. The statement also accurately stated Mr Moore’s rising indebtness.
“Mr Moore did not communicate with St George anything that was false, which incited it to lend more money to him.”
“The accusation was that Mr Moore had deceived his way to financial success. Moore was honest in his conduct.
Officers raided Mr Moore’s house and discovered the keys to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe that was purchased for $91,000. They also found this 6.1m aluminum Stessl560 Seahawk, which is worth $54,000.
St George recovered more than $1.2 million worth of property, which included $733,000 with National Australia Bank and $394,000 through a PayPal Account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo purchased by Moore
After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn.
After Constable Daniel Keneally had reported that he threatened to kill a Goulburn officer over a phone conversation, he was taken into custody in Nowra.
Constable Keneally did not know that Mr Moore had made that recording and contained no threats.
After three weeks of being held, Mr Moore was released by police.
The $170,000 compensation offered by Constable Keneally was declined.
Now, Mr Moore runs isuepolice.com which helps victims of misconduct by police to take civil action, especially in relation to unlawful strip searches.
It is his plan to transform isuepolice.com into a law company that provides affordable representation for criminal cases by the middle in next year.
Moore stated that nothing good happened to him during his brief-lived fortune. I was held in prison for six months and tried for a crime which I had not committed.
Justice Des Fagan agreed with Justice Natalie Adams that Mr Moore’s convictions should be overturned and that the charges against him be dropped. Mroore wrote in capital letters and accompanied with a smiley face that Mroore was “not guilty”.
Princess Pictures in Melbourne has made a podcast that focuses on the early years of Mr Moore. It is scheduled to release next March. The film and the book will be released in March next year.
Moore claims that if Moore had more time, he’d have bought the bank for $50 million and used it to purchase his island and invest in isuepolice.com.
Moore observed that his temporary fortune was short-lived and that he saw no good in it. “I spent six months in prison and was prosecuted for a criminal offense that I did not commit.
It’s wrong to claim “some good resulted from it”, because I have a podcast, a film deal, and am now writing a book.
These things didn’t happen, because I ripped off the bank ten years back.
“Those events have occurred because I worked for 4 years to prove that my innocence and then studied 5 more to obtain a law degree. Since then, I have not stopped fighting for justice and holding the police responsible.