Police arrest woman accused of fraud against NAB for ‘serious breach of trust’
A woman has been arrested for an alleged corporate fraud scandal involving the National Australia Bank worth tens of millions of dollars.
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A woman has been arrested for an alleged corporate fraud scandal involving the National Australia Bank totalling $40 million.
The director of events management company Human Group, Helen Rosamond, was arrested at her home in Sydney’s Potts Point this morning charged with 56 bribery charges and two counts of obtaining benefit by deception relating to $6.6 million.
Human Group is a former supplier to NAB and the charges involve allegations of corrupt commissions paid for contracts to the bank.
Invoices for services to NAB were over-inflated and corrupt, police will allege.
The fraudulent expenses were linked to the kickback scandal alleged to have been run out of the office of recently departed NAB chief executive Andrew Thorburn, without his knowledge.
The relationship between Ms Rosamond and Mr Thorburn’s former chief-of-staff, Rosemary Rogers, is at the centre of the investigation.
In February last year, detectives launched strike force Napthali to investigate the allegedly corrupt commissions.
NSW Police allege the $6.6 million was paid in bribes to ensure “contract viability” and to overpay legitimate contracts.
“There have been a lot of personal expenses and outcomes which were paid out of these corrupt commissions,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said today.
“Investigators executed 20 search warrants, served 10 production notices and we put restraining orders on about $10 million worth of property and assets.”
Mr Smith said the criminal behaviour occurred between 2013 and 2017, while the relationship between Human Group and NAB dates back 12 years with contracts worth $118 million.
The investigation extends to Victoria and the Acting Assistant Commissioner didn’t rule out making further charges and arrests.
A NAB spokesperson on Friday said no one from the bank was under investigation.
“The alleged fraud was reported by a whistleblower. NAB responded immediately, investigated and reported it to police,” the statement said.
“We continue to co-operate fully with police and we thank them for their important work in investigating this matter.”
“If the alleged fraud is proven, it represents a most serious breach of trust by a former employee.”
The bank stressed that “NAB is the victim in this matter”.
Ms Rogers has not been arrested or charged but last month investigators froze her property portfolio worth more than $6.2 million, three of her bank accounts and a $1 million NAB bank cheque.
She served in the role as chief-of-staff at the bank for nine years before her resignation in late 2017.
Mr Thorburn, who was pressured to quit as the major lender’s chief last month after being heavily criticised in Kenneth Hayne’s royal commission final report, is not suspected of any wrongdoing.
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Originally published as Police arrest woman accused of fraud against NAB for ‘serious breach of trust’
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