TL;DR: ABC reported on June 30, 2026 that Graham Guy, who died in 2025 aged 65 with dementia, lost his savings, superannuation and fortnightly pension to “Michelle”, an online girlfriend he never met. In 2024 he was asked to receive $27,000 and send it overseas; NAB blocked it. The AFP and banks warn of a growing wave of scam victims being recruited as money mules.
What happened
According to ABC News (7.30), Graham Guy died in 2025 at age 65. He had dementia in his final years and believed he had a long-term girlfriend and friends overseas. From 2022 he corresponded daily with a person calling herself “Michelle”, whom he believed lived in the United States. They never met.
How the money went
- “Michelle” introduced associates who asked him for money for airfares, medical bills and gift cards.
- He drained his savings, his superannuation and his fortnightly pension. The report gives no total.
- In 2024 an acquaintance of Michelle asked him to receive $27,000 into his account, claiming it was to help an elderly relative, and then transfer it overseas. NAB flagged the transaction as suspicious and blocked it, so he had unknowingly become a money mule.
What the AFP and banks say
AFP Detective Superintendent Marie Andersson said a money mule is someone recruited by a third party to move funds through their own bank account, and that scammers are becoming more sophisticated and industrial in scale, with AI fuelling the trend. NAB's Chris Sheehan said criminals are shifting from stolen identities to recruiting real people with genuine ID because banks have tightened onboarding checks. NAB shut down 9,364 customer profiles last year due to mule concerns, and ANZ flagged about 4,000 “high-risk” accounts between September 2025 and March 2026. Mule offences can be charged as money laundering, with penalties from 12 months' jail to life.
Guy's former wife, Belinda Guy, described him as law-abiding, vulnerable, lonely and unwell. Read our explainer on money mule scams.
Red flags
- An online partner or their “friend” who asks you to receive money and send it on.
- Requests to open an account or share your bank and ID details.
- Payments for “medical bills”, “airfares” or gift cards to people you have never met.
- A loved one with memory problems who is secretive about a new overseas partner.
Families can ask the bank to add checks and talk to the person early; see how to protect elderly parents and elder fraud statistics. Report to Scamwatch and read the Scamwatch and IDCARE process. Run our free digital footprint check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Graham Guy?
A 65-year-old Australian with dementia who died in 2025, drained by an online girlfriend called “Michelle” whom he never met.
What is a money mule?
Someone recruited by a third party to move funds through their own bank account, often unknowingly.
What happened with the $27,000?
In 2024 he was asked to receive $27,000 and transfer it overseas. NAB flagged the transaction as suspicious and blocked it.
Can mules be charged?
Yes. Mule offences can be charged as money laundering, with penalties from 12 months' jail to life.
Sources
- ABC News: Australians are being scammed and used by criminal networks as money mules (Jun 30, 2026)
- Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre)