Take the case of this Brisbane businessman:
DAMIAN O'Carrigan was outwardly a devoted husband, father and a trusted manager with one of the nation's biggest firms.
He had also siphoned $20 million from his employer over more than a decade, while having secret affairs and building his own property and racing empire.
Much of the money that he gained illegally was spent on a high priced call girl:
For eight years Belinda Leonard was the secret lover of Leighton Contractors finance manager Damian O'Carrigan, attending to his every beck and call, court documents reveal.
In return, he lavished her with extraordinary gifts, including a 21ha property, a new house and car, overseas trips and the unfettered use of a credit card.
Ms Leonard used the credit card to rack up an estimated $1.4 million in bills, it is claimed.
Ironically, just as he was deceiving his wife about this clandestine affair, the call girl herself seemed to have no idea about where he was getting all this money from.
Amazing that someone could keep going for years with such secretive behaviour. Money, and sex are powerful drugs indeed!