A former Australian National University (ANU) student who committed health insurance fraud using the details of other foreign students has described himself as "greedy and stupid", an ACT court has heard.
Borong Liu, 29, was originally facing hundreds of fraud charges.
But in the end he pleaded guilty to three rolled-up charges.
In the ACT Magistrates Court today he narrowly escaped a jail term, with a suspended six-month sentence and the maximum 240 hours of community service.
Liu will also have to pay back nearly $12,000.
Liu's lawyer Louise Taylor said he became involved in the fraud when he met a woman called Jennifer, who suggested he set up bank accounts to receive the money and they would split the proceeds.
"He completely accepts that should have made him suspicious," Ms Taylor said.
The court heard the fraud was detected when the health insurer found anomalies in a claim.
Special Magistrate Ken Cush said it was a "sophisticated" scheme, with money claimed from receipts in person and online at three Canberra health centres.
Investigators found many of the students named in the claims had never been to the clinics.
Liu driven by selfish motivation: magistrate
Ms Taylor told the court Liu was remorseful about what he did.
"He refers to himself as being greedy and stupid," she said.
Liu said he arranged to meet Jennifer by text message 10 times when they would divvy up the money.
But Special Magistrate Cush queried the suggestions of Jennifer's involvement.
"He says somebody approached him, but there's no evidence of that," he said.
But Ms Taylor said he had pleaded guilty, saving the court a long hearing, for which he should be granted some discount.
Special Magistrate Cush rejected that, saying he did not deserve credit for his pleas.
"The prosecution case was very strong," he said.
And he found Liu was driven by a selfish motivation.
Liu has 12 months to complete the community service and pay back the money.
