Christine Jiaxin Lee, 21, appeared in court on Tuesday in Downing Centre Court to plead Not Guilty to charges related to a $4.6 million luxury shopping spree. Lee appeared in court on Tuesday wearing white canvas shoes, ripped jeans, and a Monster Energy cap. Due to a banking error, Lee spent $4.6 million over the course of more than two years, Lee claims that she believed the money came from her family. Lee is being formally charged with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage and knowingly dealing with proceeds from the crime.
Lee, a Chemical Engineering student, had received an unlimited draft in April of 2012 from Westpac. Lee became aware of this unlimited draft in July of 2014, where then she began her shopping spree of luxury items. During this spree, Lee is said to have spent $220,000 in one day at Christian Dior. Westpac found their error in April of 2015, then after finding this error they called Lee to account for the missing millions. In May of 2016, Lee was arrested by Australian immigration officials trying to board a flight to Malaysia.
Westpac’s investigator, Matt Tregoning, told Daily Mail Australia that he hopes to see justice done. According to Lee’s defense attorney, Hugo Aston, they will defend against these charges “vigorously” to reach an acquittal of his client. Aston claims that Lee’s family has flown in from Malaysia to show their support as a strong, united family. However, the Lee family was conspicously absent from the courtroom on Tuesday.
