Hayley Philpot, Real Estate Agent, Leaves Elderly Woman in Financial Ruin by Embezzling $100,000 for Personal Gain

A real estate agent in Melbourne has been sentenced to three months in jail after stealing almost $100,000 from an elderly client to fund a lavish lifestyle just weeks before welcoming her second child.

Hayley Philpot, 29, who was pregnant at the time of sentencing, pleaded guilty to theft after using her position as a power of attorney to wipe nearly $100,000 from the woman’s bank account over a 15-month period.

The stolen funds were spent on high-end fashion, beauty treatments, electronic devices, meals, and various other purchases, including Apple products, Uber rides, car repairs, and shopping sprees at popular stores like JB Hi-Fi, Kmart, and Zara.

The court heard that Philpot claimed she took the money to help her brother pay off a ‘bikie gang debt’, but prosecutors argued that she exploited the vulnerability of her elderly victim, who had no family support and was caring for her husband with dementia.

Magistrate David Starvaggi described the thefts as ‘one of the most severe examples of a breach of trust’ and ordered Philpot to repay more than $60,000 in addition to serving her jail sentence.

Despite her criminal actions, Philpot continues to work in the real estate industry as a freelance buyers advocate in Melbourne, according to her LinkedIn profile. The victim, on the other hand, is said to be struggling financially and unlikely to recover from the loss.