Tara Mooney who wasted £250,000 on fruit machines. See SWNS story SWBANDIT: A woman admits to ruining her entire life after she lost her home and family when she wasted £250,000 on FRUIT MACHINES. Addicted Tara Mooney, spent up to 12-hours every day putting every penny she earned as a bus driver into the gambling machines. Tara, originally from High Wycombe, Bucks., has finally managed to kick her decade-long habit after already losing her home and three children when she was sacked for missing shifts. She said: It was dreadful. I spent all my wages on those machines, and I did it for ten years. When you add it all up it comes to about £250,000, I think. Its ridiculous when you think of it, but I was in the grip of a fierce addiction.