Australian arrested for fleecing Indians

Sydney, July 21, 2010:

A former restaurant manager in this Australian city has been arrested for allegedly receiving over $20,000 from Indian students who were keen to work at the fast food outlet.

Police arrested the Filipino national from Woodcroft and he was taken to Quakers Hill police station where he was charged, Australian news agency AAP reported.

The man, who was released on conditional bail and will appear Aug 12 before Blacktown Local Court, was the manager of a Hungry Jacks restaurant at Parklea, in Sydney's west, between May 2008 and February this year. He was in-charge of hiring and firing staff.

He allegedly received cash payments from 15 Indians who were seeking part-time work as cleaners or kitchen workers.

The Indians, all students in their twenties, were asked to make cash payments of between $500 to $3,500 to work part-time. Most of the victims received little work and one victim did not receive a job at all.

The scam came to light after the owner of the Parklea restaurant alerted the police.

Superintendent Simon Hardman Wednesday said the Filipino would source people by word of mouth.

"As international students they (the victims) may not be familiar with industrial relations in this country and it was put to them this was the process to be followed to gain employment.

"(The victims) not knowing any better, they did as they were told," Hardman was quoted as saying.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------