JO O'BRIEN, SCAM VICTIM: I went from thinking that the future was bright to oh my God, yeah, what happens now? Total devastation.COMMONWEALTH BANK TELEPHONE OPERATOR: And I do have sort of suspicions that this may be a scam.
COMMONWEALTH BANK EMPLOYEE: I have to read you out this disclaimer. It's quite a long one, but it's a good idea because a lot of people are changing it to pay scammers and things like that. Some of this won't apply to you, but I have to read it. MICHAEL ATKIN: But were there transactions that occurred after she made that warning, even if they were only done in 24 or 48 hours?
MICHAEL ATKIN: Hassan Mehdi was arrested here at Melbourne international airport in November 2022 trying to leave the country. MUHAMMAD ALI WAHEED: I was the one who was giving him all the credentials, all the account details, and that he has a guy in Sydney who was operating that time, the account.MUHAMMAD ALI WAHEED: He paid me $5,000 for the first time and then, after, I, like, maybe two weeks, he gave me another $8,000.
MARK CARMODY: Our argument is that now either the company or the company and Mr Mehdi are liable to pay that money. MUHAMMAD ALI WAHEED: I think Hassan already had enough proof to get himself out of this, because I sent him the contract that I signed. Then he sent me the resignation as well.Hello Mr Mehdi. Hello Mr Mehdi, Michael Atkin here from the ABC.Where did the money go after it was paid to your company Mr Mehdi?Over the phone he insisted that Mr Waheed was in control of the company from May.