Property mogul Thomas Breuer’s EA Cheree Curran on trial for stealing $1.2 million
The secrets of a powerful eastern suburbs family are set to be revealed in a case involving $1.3 million in alleged illegal bank transfers.
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EXCLUSIVE
An executive assistant for one of the richest men in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs is accused of stealing almost $1.3 million from his bank accounts in a court case that has aired the alleged secrets of one of the city’s most powerful families.
But his executive assistant Cheree Curran claims her boss, Bellevue Hill property mogul Thomas Breuer, ordered her to transfer the money through a series of accounts to pay off women, “grifters” and public officials, The Sydney District Court has been told.
Ms Curran was charged after Mr Breuer’s family uncovered the payments in 2022 and reported her to the police.
Mr Breuer denied knowledge of the transfers but died months later aged 89.
On Friday, the 55-year-old’s trial began with the jury being told Ms Curran demanded “whistleblower immunity” when confronted by Mr Breuer’s family about the transfers.
The jury was told Ms Curran denied ever having a sexual relationship with Mr Breuer but told his daughter “he was a virile man who had his needs” and “was always visited by people from his past.”
Ms Curran has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of obtaining a financial benefit by deception over police claims she syphoned $1.28 million to her own accounts over three years to fund spending on clothes, Apple products and other luxury goods.
Ms Curran’s lawyers Mike Smith and Paul McGirr told the jury the defence case will focus on whether Mr Breuer “had a motive to lie” to his family about the true purpose of the payments.
The trial is set to X-ray Mr Breuer’s personal affairs.
Ms Curran was employed from 2015-22 to manage invoicing banking for Mr Breuer because he was “computer illiterate”, giving her control of his accounts, the jury was told.
The court was told the alleged theft was discovered by Mr Breuer’s staff and family, including daughter Nicky McWilliam, a lawyer and the wife of Channel 7 executive Bruce McWilliam.
She had been estranged from her father shortly after the 2010 death of her mother, who established Woollahra’s landmark Eva Breuer Gallery. The court was told the alleged theft was discovered in 2022 after Ms McWilliam reconciled with her father and took a role in his business.
Prosecuting lawyer Daniel Noll told the court Ms Curran transferred money out of one of Mr Breuer’s bank accounts and into his dormant ANZ account before depositing it into her personal accounts.
Several of the transfers were titled as “gifts” from “Tompa”, as Mr Breuer was known by his younger relatives. The court was told that several family members claimed they didn’t receive the gifts.
Mr Noll outlined to the court Ms McWilliam’s recollections of conversations she had with Ms Curran about the transfers in January 2022.
Ms McWilliam recalled Ms Curran saying “It involves public officials, tax issues, women and transactions that I am bound by confidentiality as an EA.”
Ms McWilliam also recalled Ms Curran texting with a claim that to reveal the tawdry purpose of transfers would place “the livelihoods of many people, both private and public officials in jeopardy”, the court heard.
“The business practices (of Mr Breuer) were at times stuck in the ‘1950s” (with) the types of deals that occurred …,” the court heard Ms Curran wrote.
Ms McWilliam claimed at a meeting Ms Curran said Mr Breuer could be up for “$1.5 million in tax” if the nature of the transfers was revealed, the jury heard.
“Mr Breuer was always visited by people from his past. He would give them money. Sometimes cash cheques or paying off credit cards, free accommodation or cash in envelopes,” the jury was told Ms Curran allegedly said.
“So many people are implicated. I’m just trying to protect Mr Breuer. He was a virile man who had his needs,” she allegedly said. The case continues.
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Originally published as Property mogul Thomas Breuer’s EA Cheree Curran on trial for stealing $1.2 million
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