Worker blows sleeping boss's cash at Crown

Access to a hotel room with his boss sleeping and a briefcase full of cash was too tempting for a Japanese man who has been jailed for pinching $140,000 and blowing it at Crown Casino.

Cash-strapped Takuro Yanagida, 23, was visiting Melbourne in October 2018 with his boss Gohsuke Kotani, who ran a sports marketing business.

But as Mr Kotani, his wife and business partner slept at their hotel, Yanagida used a key to unlock his employer's suitcase before taking nearly half of the $300,000 cash stashed inside.

County Court Judge Robert Dyer described the theft as a "naive, amateurish and unsophisticated" act.

Yanagida had developed a "precarious financial position" and become involved in gambling in the months leading up to the crime.

He went to Crown Casino and exchanged the money for chips, proceeding to lose the "entire sum over a four-hour period" in what Judge Dyer described as a "panic-driven, opportunistic crime".

Yanagida initially denied what he'd done, but made full admissions after Crown Casino was called and identified him as the person who exchanged the money for chips.

He has since pleaded guilty to one charge of theft.

"Your offending may have been initiated by a naive belief that you could use Mr Kotani's money to win at the casino and pay off your financial situation," Judge Dyer said while sentencing on Friday.

"The loss of $140,000 has significantly impacted on his business activities while in Australia."

Judge Dyer added the theft had eroded Mr Katani's trust in his workers.

Yanagida started working for the company after the two men met in South Korea.

A translator conveyed the judge's remarks to Yanagida in court on Friday.

Judge Dyer accepted Yanagida's early plea was indicative of genuine remorse before jailing him for eight months.

Yanagida has already served 207 days in pre-sentence detention, meaning he must spend another month behind bars before he is released.

After his stint in jail, Yanagida will be deported to Japan.