A Year 7 student who snuck $27,000 from his parents’ safe and took thousands to school, showering his friends with lavish gifts, obtained the cash by raiding his future university fund, Daily Mail Australia understands.
Parents received a letter from Epping Boys’ High School, in Sydney‘s northwest, after the boy took classmates on extravagant shopping sprees that included computers and gaming vouchers.
He then reportedly gave the rest of the money away, walking up to peers and handing them wads of cash – with some bundles totalling $500.
The incident was quickly detected by teachers, who called police to the campus on Vimiera Road to investigate before the matter was dropped.
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A fellow student, who wished to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia the boy’s parents had squirrelled away $30,000 for his future studies.
Police were called to Epping Boys’ High School, in Sydney’s northwest, last week after a boy brought in $27,000
Of that sum, he heard the boy squandered about $14,000 on purchases for the online game Fortnite – which allows users to buy its own currency, V-Bucks, for in-game purchases.
V-Bucks gift cards can be picked up at retail stores like EB Games and Target then redeemed once gamers log into their Fortnite account.
The remaining $13,000 was spent on generous presents and monetary gifts, with a number of students walking away with several hundred dollars.
‘A mate came up to me and showed me that he had been given $150,’ the schoolmate said.
‘And he doesn’t even know him.
‘Another kid who is in Year 8 got $500.’
The schoolmate said juniors were the primary beneficiaries of the spending blitz, but some seniors also reaped the benefits.
Another pupil said a Year 7 boy was passed $400 in cash, while another boy from the same grade, who did not disclose the amount he received, said he has since given back funds at the insistence of his parents.
The unusual event has shocked the school community and left the high-roller’s parents devastated as they come to terms with the loss of their hard-earned savings.
Epping Boys High School is a public educator in Sydney’s affluent north west
A schoolmate said the boy reportedly spent $14,000 on purchases for Fortnite, which has its own currency that can be purchased through gift cards then redeemed online
‘Everyone was confused about why this kid was handing out money and why he would hand it out if he had that much money in the first place,’ the schoolmate said.
‘He was just an ordinary kid in Year 7.’
Several other older students said they did not hear about the until following days because the handout took place in the junior’s area of the playground.
‘I could not believe it,’ one boy said impressed.
’27K. That’s mad.’
The schoolmate’s mother, who learnt of the incident from her son before receiving the email, said she sympathised with the seventh grader’s parents.
‘He was flashing it around. Funding shopping trips, equipment. If that was my child, I would freak out,’ she said.
Sources have told Daily Mail Australia the boy squandered his university fund on online games and cash gifts for schoolmates
The incident has left the school community in shock, leaving some students confused and others impressed
‘His parents were absolutely livid. The whole situation is very sad.’
Another parent whose son is in a different grade said what happened was ‘just horrible’.
‘The newsletter said he used the money to buy some gifts then gave the rest away,’ she said.
‘Then I heard in the news he was sprinkling it around like confetti.’
A third mother whose child is also in Year 7 said she heard the student at the centre of the scandal was ‘distressed’ in the wake of his high-profile splurge.
She said all children in that grade had been instructed during a year meeting to tell teachers if they had any additional information about the incident.
Another student said there were three cops present at the school and kids were asked to return the money because it was a police investigation.
In the email to parents, Principal Jessica Schadel said the cohort had been asked to ‘reflect’ on what they may know.
Parents were sent a letter advising them of the unusual event last Tuesday, which saw police called to the school
‘Today we had occasion to talk to year 7 about amounts of cash that has (sic) been circulating around in the form of ‘gifts’, gaming vouchers, funded shopping trips and computer equipment,’ Ms Schadel wrote on Tuesday.
‘The Youth Officer from Ryde Police also spoke to the year group regarding this matter.
‘We have asked the boys to spend some time reflecting on what they may know about this issue and to see a member of the year 7 wellbeing team should they have any information.’
Ms Schadel failed to return Daily Mail Australia’s phone calls when contacted on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education confirmed a NSW Police Youth Officer had spoken to students.
‘Epping Boys High School has been working closely students and families impacted by this matter, with appropriate support for those involved,’ they said.
‘The school considers this matter to be now resolved.’
Epping Boys’ High School, a public educator, is located in Sydney’s leafy and affluent residential Upper North Shore.
It has earned a reputation for academic performance, which saw it place 86th in the top 100 schools across NSW in 2017 for its HSC results.
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