Sydney: An Australian woman who posed as a businesswoman, a doctor and a mobster's niece to steal thousands of dollars, and evaded police for months, pleaded guilty on Friday to more than 40 charges of fraud and theft.
Dubbed the "Catch Me If You Can" thief by police, Jody Harris, 28, was arrested in July after an intense search spanning three states. She was eventually charged with around 130 counts relating to identity fraud and theft.
Police said Harris fooled her alleged victims into believing she was a doctor, a police officer, a businesswoman and the niece of a known underworld figure before stealing their identities and robbing them.
Harris eluded arrest for more than a year, frequently changing her appearance and taunting police with repeated phone calls and false promises to surrender.
Officers in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland states eventually nicknamed her after the 2002 film in which Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a smooth-talking con-man who robs his unwitting victims by pretending to be a doctor, a lawyer and an airline pilot.
Documents submitted to the court at the time of her arrest alleged that Harris used the money to fund her lavish lifestyle, buying designer hair accessories, a diamond watch and a 1,652 Australian dollar (US$1,248; 980) poodle.
Harris pleaded guilty to 43 charges at Sydney's Central Local Court on Friday, including 20 counts of defrauding more than seven women of at least 76,000 Australian dollars (US$57,000; 44,800).
She also pleaded guilty to having a false Australian passport, and possessing a Victoria state police uniform.
Although no other pleas were entered, Harris's lawyer said Harris had also admitted to another 80 offenses and asked that her admission be considered at her sentencing next Friday. Nine charges were dropped Friday.
She faces a maximum of five years in prison.
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