- Kym Cavigan was left devastated when her long-time accountant and friend, Andrew Marshall, confessed he had stolen and gambled away her $871,000 life savings
- Marshall admitted using client funds to fuel a severe gambling addiction after losing millions of his own money
- Now Kym is campaigning for stronger protections for victims and greater accountability from betting companies that target problem gamblers
Here Kym Cavigan, 54, Riddells Creek, Vic tells her own story in her own words.
Popping my water glass in the sink, I wiped the sweat from my brow.
It was June 2023, and I’d just got home from my Sunday run club. I loved the community and had formed great friendships with a few of the members, including Andrew Marshall, who was also my accountant.
He hadn’t been at the run, but I assumed he just had other stuff on.
Then my phone pinged – it was Andrew. Are you home? I need to tell you something, the text read.
That’s odd, I thought, telling him to come over.
Around 30 minutes later, at 2pm, he showed up at my door. Tears streaming down his face, he could barely get a word out.
‘Andrew! What’s happened?’ I asked.
But he couldn’t speak. He was so distressed I wondered if he’d been in a car accident.
‘Did you hit someone? Hurt someone on the drive over?’ I urged.
Shaking his head, I led him to the couch.
‘I’ve stolen clients’ money, and you’re one of them,’ he choked out.
My stomach dropped as he explained that, after losing $2 million of his own savings, he’d been using money belonging to me and four other clients, totalling $4.2 million, to fund his gambling addiction.
I’d always known Andrew enjoyed a bet on horseracing, but this was the worst betrayal imaginable.
‘Now, I had nothing. My life savings were gone.’
He was part of a syndicate and would frequent the races to bet.
‘I was trying to win it all back,’ he said, explaining he’d already confessed to the police.
But wanting to do the right thing, he’d come to see me, and also his other clients, to tell us the truth first hand.
Rage bubbled up inside me. Andrew had helped manage my superannuation and my investments for eight years – totalling $871,000. Now he was confessing to stealing and losing it all…
I was looking to buy a house for myself and my kids, Lucas, then 18, and Brooke, 16, after my marriage had ended earlier that year.
Now, I had nothing. My life savings were gone.
‘How dare you!’ I yelled at Andrew as he headed for the door.
‘I’m sorry. I need to go to jail,’ he murmured as he left.
Shell-shocked, I couldn’t believe Andrew had used me as an ATM to fuel his addiction.
Calling the police station, I reported his theft, not believing he’d turned himself in.
I kept what had happened from the kids, not wanting to worry them.
As police investigated the matter, I contacted Sportsbet – the betting agency where Andrew had used my money.
As the money had been stolen, I figured they were holding onto the proceeds of Andrew’s crimes and hoped I could get it back.
After multiple phone calls to their customer service department, I was offered a small sum.
But it was nothing close to the amount I’d had stolen, so I refused.
In November 2025, Andrew Marshall, 45, pleaded guilty to five charges of theft in the County Court of Victoria, and he was later sentenced to six years and five months’ imprisonment.
He must serve four years and three months before he’s eligible for parole.
I was in the courtroom in December when Judge Gerard Mullaly described his actions as ‘destructive and pathological’.
‘You breached trust the community has in accountants, who are expected to act with utter honesty,’ he said.
I was heartbroken to hear one of his other victims was battling brain cancer.
‘I currently work seven days a week… just to get by’
Still, I wanted the betting agencies to be held accountable, and reached out to a litigation lawyer.
Andrew had sent me an email, offering to help provide evidence to support my case against Sportsbet. Knowing what he did was wrong, he wanted to try and help me set things right.
Reading through the bank statements and other documents that proved he’d defrauded me and others and used the money to gamble, was eye-opening.
The more I learned about the tactics used by betting agencies to target problem gamblers, the more I saw Andrew as a victim too.
In court, Andrew’s lawyer Jim McGarvie had said that as Andrew’s gambling addiction worsened, he was flooded with offers of bonus bets, thousands of dollars in credits to punt, and assigned VIP managers
by betting agencies who frequently called and texted him in a bid to keep him hooked.
‘He was given offers of bonus bets… “Put in $5000, we will give you 100 per cent of that in credits”… just to keep the machine going,’ McGarvie had told the court.
It was disgusting to see the lengths they’d go to encourage people to spend more money.
Three years on, I’m fundraising for help with my legal fees. They aren’t cheap, but if I don’t fight – who will?
I also want legislation to change so that victims of crime who’ve had their money spent on gambling can get their money back.
I’ve worked hard and been financially sensible my whole life. Now my future has been stolen from me. It’s so unfair.
I currently work seven days a week, balancing work in my horticulturist business, with shifts at a real estate agent showing homes, and as a casual at Bunnings, just to get by.
Each day is a battle. I am financially and emotionally devastated, but I won’t stop fighting.
I owe it to me, and my kids Lucas, 19, and Brooke, 17, to stay strong.
To support Kym’s cause, visit her GoFundMe page
To get help and information about gambling visit the National Gambling Helpline or call on 1800 858 858. Support is also available from Gamblers Anonymous.
Sportsbet says:
“While Mr Marshall pleaded guilty to a number of offences, we understand that the subsequent proceedings have taken a toll on Ms Cavigan. Throughout this process we have been – and remain – committed to engaging with Ms Cavigan in good faith.
While we cannot discuss the circumstances of individuals, whether they are our customers or not, our business operates in one of Australia’s most highly regulated sectors and we are deeply committed to meeting our legal and regulatory obligations. It is for this reason we continue to actively strengthen our systems and processes in supporting safer gambling and reducing the risk of financial crime.”
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