ICAC launches public inquiry into alleged TAFE IT fraud

To hold public inquiry into alleged $1.7 million IT fraud at TAFE

New South Wales' Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will investigate allegations of fraud involving a TAFE IT manager.

ICAC announced today it will investigate an alleged $1.7 million fraud at the Department of Education and Communities' TAFE South West Sydney Institute.

"The public inquiry will examine allegations that, between January 2014 and July 2014, Acting Manager TAFE ICT (information and communication technology) Services Ronald Cordoba dishonestly exercised his public official duties to obtain a financial advantage of more than $1.7 million for himself from SWSI by authorising false purchase orders, supplying false invoices to SWSI and dishonestly authorising payment of those invoices to his own business, Storm Solutions," a statement issued by ICAC said.

The anti-corruption organisation will also look into alleged fraud that took place between November 2013 and March last year.

ICAC is investigating allegations that Cordoba "secured a payment of $55,000 from an SWSI IT contractor, by falsely claiming that he had been authorised by SWSI to undertake work as a IT subcontractor on behalf of the SWSI contractor".

The four-day public inquiry will begin on 17 August.

ICAC Commissioner Megan Latham will preside. Counsel assisting the commission will be Scott Robertson.

Last month ICAC issued a corruption finding against a former university IT manager.

ICAC found that Brett Roberts — a former IT manager at the University of Newcastle, the University of Sydney and Macquarie University — had engaged in corrupt conduct.

ICAC said that advice should be obtained from the Director of Public Prosecutions about potential prosecution of Roberts for a number of offences.

The sums involved in the university case are dwarfed by those involved in the alleged TAFE fraud.

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Tags ICACcorruptionTAFEIndependent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC)

More about CounselICACIndependent Commission Against CorruptionMacquarie UniversityRobertsSydney InstituteTAFEUniversity of NewcastleUniversity of SydneyWest

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