A Sydney postal worker is facing serious fraud allegations after police claim he stole dozens of bank cards from the mail and allegedly used them in a bizarre spending spree worth $1.4 million.
Mauro Paul Coluzzi, 56, is accused of intercepting cards sent to residents in Edgecliff, Woollahra and Double Bay ,and providing them to two separate organised crime groups.
Authorities say the 62 victims’ cards were used in a series of fraudulent transactions, with court documents detailing more than $100,000 of purchases linked to Coluzzi.
He was arrested in August 2025, following a nine-month investigation.
Police allege the Rockdale resident spent more than $10,000 on Apple devices, including four iPhones, while trying to conceal the rest of his alleged gains.
He faces charges of two counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage for his own benefit and one count of attempting to line his own pockets.
But investigators claim Coluzzi’s alleged criminal activity didn’t stop there. Over a short period, he is accused of committing 143 additional fraud offences, including spending $6,000 on tobacco products in just five days.
Court documents show Coluzzi allegedly spent over $34,600 on Apple electronics, acquiring 12 iPhones, four Apple Watches, a MacBook, and AirPods. Almost $4,500 was spent on gift cards, including one for the online game Roblox, over two months.
Some of the more unusual items allegedly purchased include an air fryer, bunches of roses, Mecca beauty products, punnets of strawberries, and even a Square credit card payment terminal.
Cash withdrawals also played a significant role, with police claiming that more than $54,700 was withdrawn from various banks across Sydney during an 11-month period.
Coluzzi was granted bail in August under strict conditions, including quasi-home detention and a $400,000 surety, which would be forfeited if he fails to appear in court.
But his lawyer told Sutherland Local Court the funds have not yet been provided, leaving her client in custody on remand. She said she was hopeful the matter would be resolved in the coming days.
Coluzzi is set to appear in court on September 25 to enter pleas to all 145 charges against him.
Police allege he acted in concert with Ashish Tamrakar, 35, and Ibrahim Abbas, 27. Tamrakar faces 66 counts of fraud-related offences, including receiving stolen mail and participating in a criminal group, while Abbas has been charged with 80 offences, including fraud and attempted fraud.
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