This archive report was first published on 4 December 2019.
On December 4, 2019, a 46-year-old woman in Australia was sentenced to 25 months in prison for falsifying her resume to secure a job with a US$185,000 annual salary.
Veronica Hilda Theriault, who had applied for the position of Chief Information Officer with South Australia's Department of the Premier and Cabinet in 2017, was found guilty of deception, dishonesty, and abuse of public office.
According to court documents, Theriault had provided false information about her education and job history in her application, including attaching a photo of supermodel Kate Upton to her LinkedIn profile.
When the organization conducted a background check, Theriault posed as one of her former employers and gave herself a glowing tribute.
She was eventually fired after serving for a month and taking home a pay of $22,500.
Theriault's mental health deteriorated shortly after getting the job, and she pleaded guilty to the charges in court.
Despite being aware of Theriault's mental health issues, Judge Michael Boylan held that the charges were still very serious and the crime appeared to be elaborately planned.
