Vic: Woman's fantasies lead to blackmail, extortion charges

AAP General News (Australia)
12-04-2007
Vic: Woman's fantasies lead to blackmail, extortion charges

MELBOURNE, Dec 4 AAP - A woman who extorted more than $126,000 from relatives in a
scheme involving fictitious bikies and an imaginary police detective suffered from a condition
called mythomania, a Melbourne court has been told.

Debra Lee Bassani, of Frankston, today pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court
to one count of blackmail, five counts of stalking and three counts of extortion.

Bassani told her de facto husband and his two brothers that a bikie gang was after
their family, the court was told.

The 39-year-old based her story around fictitious threats from the gang over a soured
rental agreement.

She falsely claimed her father was a detective who could keep them safe as long as
they paid him protection money.

Three families, including Bassani, lived in fear and on the run in cabins and caravan
parks around Victoria during the extortion plot which ran from January last year until
February this year.

Her lawyer, David McKenzie, told the court his client suffered from a condition that
led to her creating fantasies and then acting them out.

"This lady suffers from a condition known as mythomania," Mr McKenzie told the court.

"It is a disorder which makes it an order that she tell and creates fantastic stories.

"It has been in her maternal family, her grandmother had the disorder."

The hearing before Judge Susan Pullen is continuing.

AAP sam/gfr/jh/bwl

KEYWORD: BASSANI (PIX AVAILABLE)

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