A trader was convicted of killing his mother in a scam to collect a large life insurance payout.

In a shocking turn of events, Andre Zachary Rebelo has been convicted of murdering his own mother, Colleen Rebelo, in a twisted scheme to claim a large sum of money from her life insurance. The court heard that Rebelo, a crypto trader, had taken out multiple policies worth a total of $1.2 million against his mother just days before her death. He even named himself as the sole beneficiary, leaving no doubt about his true intentions.

The tragedy occurred on May 25, 2020, when Colleen's youngest son found her lifeless body in the shower at their home in Perth, Australia. The death was not initially considered suspicious, and an autopsy was unable to determine the cause. However, it was later revealed that Rebelo had been hounding the insurance companies to pay out the policies, going to extreme lengths to provide fake documents and impersonate his mother's psychologist.

At the time of her death, Colleen's son and his former partner, Grace Piscopo, lived what seemed like a perfect life on social media. They flaunted their luxurious vacations, expensive cars, and lavish lifestyle to their millions of followers. However, behind the scenes, the couple was struggling with mounting debt of over $120,000. Rebelo's pursuit of the life insurance money was fueled by his desperate attempt to keep up the facade of their glamorous life.

During the trial, it was revealed that Rebelo had a personal loan and credit card debt of over $40,000, and was being pursued by debt collection agencies. He also relied on his career as a crypto trader to fund their extravagant lifestyle. But by May 2020, he was facing financial ruin, and the pressure was mounting.

Prosecutor Brett Tooker painted a vivid picture of the couple's "plastic fantastic" life and the lengths Rebelo went to maintain it. He described how Rebelo was consumed by the fear of losing everything and was willing to do whatever it takes to keep up appearances. His actions were driven by desperation and a desire to escape his dire financial situation.

Despite pleading guilty to fraud, Rebelo maintained his innocence in his mother's murder. His twin sister, brothers, and father all testified that they had no knowledge of the insurance policies taken out on Colleen. In fact, Rebelo's father continued to believe in his son's innocence, even after the jury found him guilty.

The trial also revealed that Rebelo's former partner, Grace Piscopo, was in a similar situation, owing large sums of money to the Australian Taxation Office and on a car loan. She was unaware of their dire financial situation as Rebelo managed their finances. The couple was struggling to make rent payments on their townhouse, and their debts were only increasing.

The jury deliberated for two days before reaching a verdict of guilt. Rebelo was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in 2025. Outside the court, his father expressed his disappointment and sadness, still believing in his son's innocence. The whole ordeal was a tragic end to a family's perfect life illusion, and justice was finally served for Colleen Rebelo's untimely death.

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