Dong Qiao Li, a 32-year-old serial fraudster, is facing the prospect of jail time after a Melbourne magistrate was left “flabbergasted” by the full extent of his criminal history, which spans more than a decade and multiple states.
Appearing in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last Thursday, Li had been scheduled for sentencing after pleading guilty to four charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception and one count of attempting to obtain financial advantage by deception.
The court heard Li’s most recent scam began when he connected with a man on dating app Grindr in November 2024. The pair met at a hotel in Melbourne’s CBD, where Li encouraged the man to take a shower — during which he secretly photographed the man’s credit card.
In the days that followed, Li used the stolen card to book flights, transport, and hotels, where CCTV footage later captured him. He was eventually arrested at a Melbourne hotel in April 2025.
Li pleaded guilty last week to a total of six dishonesty offences, all related to the incident.
“Flabbergasted” Magistrate Halts Sentencing
But during Thursday’s hearing, Magistrate Carolyn Burnside said she was shocked to learn new information about Li’s criminal past, which had not been disclosed earlier.
“We came to court last week and I had no idea about any NSW priors,” Burnside said.
“We need to have the full picture before the court… I’ve got to get to the bottom [of] the other matters before I can properly turn my mind to sentencing.”
The court was told Li had previously been convicted of similar offences in both South Australia and New South Wales.
In South Australia, Li was handed a wholly suspended 12-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to 12 fraud-related charges, having used a false identity to steal at least $12,000 between 2014 and 2016.
In NSW, he was placed on an 18-month community corrections order for 11 dishonesty offences, also involving financial deception.
Police prosecutors revealed that an active warrant is currently out for Li’s arrest in New South Wales in relation to other alleged offences of the same nature, spanning from 2018 to January 2025. These also reportedly involved theft of bank cards from hotel rooms, following the same pattern of deception.
Jail Now on the Table
Initially, prosecutors had considered another community corrections order, but after the revelations, they said their position had changed. They are now seeking a prison term.
Magistrate Burnside agreed that the scale of offending likely ruled out a non-custodial sentence.
“If the level of deception is as bad as I think it is… I’m not thinking about a community corrections order,” she said.
“This is sophisticated, this is very planned. This is a very intelligent man who has repeatedly taken advantage of people who could be considered vulnerable because of their sexuality.”
Burnside also criticised what she described as a “disregard for the court system”, noting Li’s consistent reoffending using the same tactics.
Li remains on bail, under the condition that he report weekly to Ballarat Police Station. He is due to return to court for sentencing on 5 September.
