Former charity boss Michael Scott Lawson Clark pleads guilty to defrauding homeless charity SYC

A former charity executive has pleaded guilty to more than 70 fraud and dishonesty charges after he embezzled money from an organisation designed to help the homeless and unemployed.

Michael Clark has pleaded guilty to defrauding the homeless charity he once worked for, SYC, of more than $350,000. Picture: Michael Marschall

• Former homeless charity boss charged with defrauding it of $350k
• Michael Clark faces court over $350,000 fraud charges

A former charity boss has pleaded guilty to more than 70 dishonesty charges after he defrauded a foundation designed to help Adelaide’s homeless and unemployed.

Michael Scott Lawson Clark, 39, pleaded guilty to 37 counts of aggravated dishonestly dealing with documents and 39 counts of dishonestly receiving property without consent during a court hearing on February 12.

During a committal hearing on Wednesday, Clark, of Parkside, was scheduled for arraignment and sentencing submissions in the District Court.

Clark, formerly of SYC, was accused of defrauding the charity of $350,000 between December 2015 and November 2018 while acting as an executive.

The charity, which has been in operation for more than 60 years, works to help Adelaide’s homeless and unemployed youth.

SYC has an annual turnover of $68 million and Clark had been its director of corporate strategy since 2011.

He has a history in the political arena, having served as a ministerial adviser to both the John Olsen and Rob Kerin governments.

Clark also asked for his bail address to be changed.

He will face the District Court for the first time in May.