A Victorian woman posed as an immigration lawyer to swindle close to $80,000 from several unsuspecting victims, who hoped she could help them get visas to migrate to Australia.
Marleen Charan, 48, charged thousands of dollars for migration services to four people between February 2016 and May 2017, before blocking them from contacting her when their visas did not arrive.
Marleen Shamma Charan outside the Victorian County Court on Friday.Credit:Nine News
The court heard that Charan advertised her business, the Australian Immigration Legal Support Center, on online marketplace Gumtree and issue clients payment plans for up to $35,000 in fees.
Charan, who has never been registered as a migration agent or lawyer in Victoria, was arrested at Melbourne Airport in 2019 as she tried to board a flight to India.
The court was told that during the initial police interview, Charan denied any involvement in the scam and tried to blame an employee, who was one of her victims.
Charan told officers she had been “very clear” about her limitations and that she knew her code of ethics and “can provide consultancy but not advice or a visa”.
“Part of my nature is to help people and reach out, and I still want to do that,” she said.
Charan changed her tune as she appeared in the Victorian County Court on Friday, pleading guilty to obtaining financial advantage by deception.
Her lawyer accepted that Charan had overstated her experience and qualifications but said she was under “tremendous expectations” from family members to become successful.
Google has been slapped with a $60 million fine for some misleading consumers about the collection and use of their personal location data on Android phones between January 2017 and December 2018.
The consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), took Google to the Federal Court last year, saying the issue may have affected about 1.3 million Australian customers.
The Federal Court found Google represented to some Android users that the setting titled Location History was the only account setting that affected whether Google collected, kept and used personally identifiable data about their location.
But there was another account setting, titled Web & App Activity, which also enabled Google to collect personal information, which was turned on by default.
Google fixed the issue by December 2018.
The descriptions of the Location History setting and the Web & App Activity setting offered up to Android mobile users between 30 April 2018 and 19 December 2018.(Supplied: ACCC)
‘Used by Google to target ads to some consumers’
The ACCC and the overseas arm of Google jointly agreed on the penalty of $60 million.
ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said the hefty penalty was appropriate for the compromise to such sensitive information.
“[It] sends a strong message to digital platforms and other businesses, large and small, that they must not mislead consumers about how their data is being collected and used,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
“Google, one of the world’s largest companies, was able to keep the location data collected through the ‘Web & App Activity’ setting and that retained data could be used by Google to target ads to some consumers, even if those consumers had the ‘ Location History’ setting turned off.”
The Federal Court also ordered Google to adjust its policies to ensure a commitment to compliance, and to give training to staff about Australian Consumer law.
Google will also have to pay some of the ACCC’s costs.
Google Australia has been spared a separate penalty because it had no role in preparing the messages about location data, which the court found was a breach of the law.
The Panthers have suffered yet another injury blow to their already-depleted stocks, with Liam Martin rolling his ankle in Thursday night’s clash with the Storm.
Martin suffered the injury in the second half and hobbled from the field in clear pain, supported by two trainers.
The 25-year-old Blues star later hobbled to the bench using crutches, and was seen with ice wrapped around his ankle.
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INJURED IN ROUND 22
Liam Martin (ankle) – TBC
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Liam Martin copped a painful ankle injury in another blow to the Panthers.Source: FOX SPORTS
A woman charged with murdering her two-year-old stepson in central queensland has been released on bail.
Prosecutors will allege Alicia Jane Lee was the only adult at home with the toddler on January 18 when he was injured.
The boy was first taken to Rockhampton Hospital then flown to the intensive care unit at the Children’s Hospital in Brisbane where doctors found he had a traumatic brain injury.
Queensland Health have revealed up to six people who received their COVID-19 vaccine at Rockhampton Hospital last week actually got an “ultra-low dose” of the jab. (Google Maps)
The Crown alleges 23-year-old Lee caused the injuries by applying force to the toddler, the Brisbane Supreme Court was told on Friday.
But the case is largely circumstantial and relies on a jury accepting the analysis and diagnosis of a specialist pediatrician.
Lee’s barrister Peter Richards said the case of murder was not strong although the evidence might support a case of manslaughter.
But prosecutor Aleksandra Nikolic argued the case was equally strong on either charge and medical evidence suggested the injuries the boy sustained would have required significant force.
She said explanations provided by Lee, as the only adult home with the child, did not align with expert medical opinions.
Justice Sean Cooper released Lee on bail, saying there did not appear to be a real prospect of her committing further crimes and she did not appear to have resources to abscond.
“The applicant has no prior criminal history and there does not seem to be any basis to think the alleged offending forms are part of a pattern,” he said.
Lee will live with a friend in the southeast Queensland town of Morayfield, away from family and crown witnesses in Rockhampton.
“That geographical separation goes some way to ameliorating the risk of the applicant contacting witnesses,” Justice Cooper added.
Lee is also not allowed to contact children under the age of 10 without supervision.
Justice Cooper said the bail conditions seemed to “sufficiently ameliorate a risk of commission of further offences”.
Lee’s case is expected to be mentioned in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on September 7.
Richmond has added three players to its extended squad for Sunday afternoon’s crucial clash with Hawthorn at the MCG.
Veteran Tiger Shane Edwards is in line to return after being managed in last Saturday night’s win over Port Adelaide.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL RICHMOND ROUND 22 SQUAD >>
Tiger cub Rhyan Mansell and ruck Ivan Soldo have also been named in the 26-man squad following impressive performances in the Richmond VFL’s 82-point win last Sunday.
Mansell collected 15 disposals, three marks and three inside-50s, while Soldo amassed nine disposals, five marks and 30 hit-outs while hitting the scoreboard with two goals.
“We’re a much better team with Ivan in it, there’s no doubt about it,” Richmond VFL coach Steve Morris said of Soldo’s game.
“He’s a real presence in the ruck and also up forward. It was another good game from him.”
Jason Castagna, last week’s activated medical substitute, also features in the extended squad.
Richmond will confirm its starting 22 tomorrow night at 5.00pm AEST.
The Club will then name its medical substitute 60 minutes prior to the bounce on Sunday.
Sunday’s game will be broadcast live on Fox Footy and Kayo Sports.
Richmond squad v Hawthorn, Sunday, August 14, 1.10pm AEST, MCG (Swipe across on mobile)
Broncos coach and Kevin Walters have pleaded for the NRL to increase its mental health support in the wake of the shock death of Paul Green.
The representative halfback and legendary Cowboys coach died at his Brisbane home on Thursday, leaving the entire rugby league community in mourning.
Queensland police issued a statement after Green’s death and confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances.
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‘He’s an elite few’ – Meninga on Green | 03:49
PAUL GREEN NEWS
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“Police were called to a Wynnum residence just after 10am this morning after a 49-year-old was located unresponsive,” a Queensland police spokeswoman said.
“He was declared deceased by emergency crews a short time later.”
Walters, who were Queensland teammates, reflected on his 30-year relationship with the premiership-winning coach and called on the NRL to do more to support players, coaches and support staff.
“It’s very sad news,” Walters said on Friday morning.
“I was fortunate enough to play Origin football with ‘Greeny’ and had many battles against him during his days at the Sharks and Cowboys.
My feelings go out to his family, friends and everyone involved with Paul. It’s just so sad.
“It’s important we check on each other each day – particularly with the mental health side of things.
“It’s something I believe the NRL needs to put more focus on, particularly around our players, coaches and support staff. Everyone that’s involved in the game.
“We need to make sure there’s someone there for you if you want to reach out.”
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys earlier delivered a heartfelt plea to the NRL world in the wake of Green’s death.
Some of the 49-year-old former teammates took the opportunity to share anecdotes, which spoke to his character — both on and off the field.
V’landys did similar in paying tribute to Green on 2GB Radiuson Friday morning but also wanted to send a strong message in the wake of the tragedy.
“[It is] extremely sad. We were devastated yesterday when we heard the news,” V’landys said.
“It just shows you how fragile life is and that we should take care of each other. If there’s a message here is if people self-doubt themselves or have problems, it is normal human reaction. Speak about it, talk about it.
Fletch lauds Green’s Roosters influence | 03:04
“We all go through doubting ourselves, we all go through some terrible times but it doesn’t hurt to talk to somebody about it and this is a classic example. If anything comes out of this, which is one of the saddest things I’ve been involved in rugby league, it is that people do reach out if they have troubles.”
V’landys described Green as a “champion” on and off the field, with a “heart bigger than himself”.
“Paul was a very intelligent person, always passionate, witty, happy-go-lucky and he was the last person in the world you would expect to have these troubles,” he said.
“But as I said, we all go through this, we all have self-doubt. Look, I remember Paul as a player, he was a brilliant player and he was a great coach. Who could forget the 2015 premiership that he won and took them again to the semi-finals in 2017.
“He was a champion in his field. He was short in stature but had a heart bigger than himself and was able to go to the elite level of the game. But just as important, he was a great father and a husband, we are just in complete and utter shock.”
‘He just wanted to help people’ – Tallis | 01:35
V’landys urged the rugby league community to get behind the Gotcha4Life charity to honor Green’s memory while also encouraging anyone who is struggling to speak up.
“I think you’d be lying if you didn’t say that at times you feel down and have self-doubt because you do and I do,” he said.
“People think that I’m as strong as a wall but at times you’re human and doubt yourself, you lack self-esteem and confidence. We all go through that. But I talk about it to people.
“I’m not embarrassed to talk about it. When you’re feeling down, you have to let those emotions out. It can happen to anyone. Don’t be proud because you have people who love you and should reach out.
“I think we need to support Gotcha4Life… that will go well for the memory of Paul Green.”
Revenge is a dish best served cold … or in a newspaper’s ad page, using your cheating ex’s credit card.
Readers of Mackay and Whitsunday Life in Queensland’s east got a shock when they picked up their Friday edition and saw a full-page ad from a scorned lover called Jenny.
“Dear Steve, I hope you’re happy with her,” the open letter read.
“Now the whole town will know what a filthy cheater you are. From Jenny.
“PS I bought this ad using your credit card.”
Page four of the Friday edition of the Mackay and Whitsunday Life, featuring Jenny’s letter. Mackay and Whitsunday Life Credit: Supplied
Mackay and Whitsunday Life have been inundated with “dozens” of messages since the shocking letter went to print on page four.
“We do not know who Steve is, but apparently he’s been very very bad,” the newspaper said.
“We won’t be revealing any details about Jenny.”
But unfortunately the final piece of Jenny’s revenge seems to have not been pulled off.
“We have not charged the credit card in question,” Mackay and Whitsunday Life said.
But Jenny’s actions were met with praise from her legion of new-found fans.
“Jenny sounds like someone I want to be friends with,” one person said.
“Not all heroines wear capes. Jenny is my new favorite person,” said another.
“Couldn’t love this more if I tried LOL… Good on you Jenny,” proclaimed another amused commenter.
However some members of the public were not as kind to Steve.
“Never trust Steve,” one said.
“I would have charged the card,” another person brutally said.
“Everyone who knows a Steve and Jenny have suddenly sat up and taken notice,” someone joked.
WHEN WILL MARVEL’S Remastered Spider-Man Arrive on Steam?
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered will be available on Friday, August 12, 2022, at 4 PM BST, 8 AM PDT, 11 AM EDT, and 5 PM CEST.
The remastered edition of Marvel’s Spider-Man, which will be offered on both Steam and also the Epic Games Store, is currently available for pre-order for $59.99.
Unfortunately for UK players, PlayStation recently acknowledged that Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered had been mispriced in the country. As a result, customers would have to withdraw their current pre-order on PC to obtain a full refund and pre-order the game anew to get the updated, lower pricing.
North American players don’t have a problem with the complicated process, and all pre-orders should remain in place without any problems. Even though Marvel’s Spider-Man has indeed been around for a while, the Remastered edition seeks to enhance what was already a great PS4 game.
All the new features that will be added to Steam, as well as the Epic Games Store later this week, have been listed below:
For those with hardware which supports them, ray-traced reflections are present throughout the game. Reflections also come in different quality levels, one of which is a new, better ray-traced option that provides even more city detail when fighting crime in Marvel’s New York while web-swinging.
Using dedicated Tensor Core AI units found only on GeForce RTX GPUs, NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) increases frame rates without sacrificing image quality.
In addition to a variety of output resolutions, we now support ultrawide 21:9, panoramic 32:9, & NVIDIA Surround multi-monitor configurations. We have a game that allows you to show off your three monitors if you have them!
ALSO READ: Qatar WC to start a day earlier to give hosts opening game: Reports
In a complex case, Kellam said there had been a “failure to afford procedural fairness amounts to error of the law. Because we’re unable to identify the evidentiary basis of the finding, ‘the actions of Cripps were in the bumping of an opponent’, we conclude findings of the jury were unreasonable”.
The appeal board’s decision has left many in the industry confused, for the league had made it clear over the off-season that players had a duty of care to each other, and any player which chose to bump had to live with the consequences, should it go awry, particularly if the player hit was concussed.
Callum Ah Chee left the field and was found to have concussion after his collision with Patrick Cripps.Credit:Getty Images
The league has strengthened its concussion protocols recently, fearing a class action from disgruntled former players impacted by head knocks.
AFL executive general manager of football Andrew Dillon – one of the leading contenders to replace Gillon McLachlan as league chief – said it was too early to indicate whether the decision would prompt changes in regulations or tribunal procedures. However, Dillon said the league would act if needed.
“The health and safety of our players is of paramount importance to the AFL and we will continue to evaluate and, where necessary, act to prioritize that objective in relation to the occurrence of concussion and other injuries in the playing of our game,” Dillon said.
King, the two-time North Melbourne premiership player and a long-time concussion advocate, said the ruling was bewildering.
“It contradicts everything that we’ve been talking about for the last three to four years about protecting the head,” King said on SEN.
“This, in my opinion, is not as a line ball as what others think. I was staggered by the AFL counsel Nicholas Pane last night. He said he was adamant a player could contest the ball whilst watching with eyes on the ball and still maintain the action of bumping an opponent – I think they’re two different things.
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“You’re either contesting the ball or you’re bracing or bumping. They’re not the same.
“I think the game’s never been more lost than what it is now. No one knows what dissent is, no one knows what holding the ball is, no one knows what protecting the head is anymore, no one knows what’s a fair contest and what isn’t, we’ve got no idea on basics of the game that we’ve always had a clear understanding of. We’ve never been more lost than what we are right now.”
Carlton coach Michael Voss said the decision was “clearly good news”, for the Blues now had their captain for the crucial final two rounds, with the team battling to hold on to a finals berth.
Voss said the Blues had always maintained Cripps had been playing the ball, and hoped the appeals board had brought clarity.
“The game still lends to even contesting the ball. That has not changed and the rules state it that way,” he said.
“It probably played out as we hoped. Our read on it at the start, we maintained, and thankfully the appeals board saw it that way as well.”
AFL great Leigh Matthews said he was surprised the ban had been overturned.
“It’s not a travesty of justice, or anything like that, because I think it’s a very fine line on this particular incident… most of us who have looked at it think it’s probably more careless than incidental. It’s in the margins, this one,” Matthews said on 3AW.
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