Police investigate former CCCI employee for alleged stealing

Investigation launched after an audit by the Chinchilla Community Commerce and Industry Inc identified alleged stealing from one of its former employees.

A police investigation has been launched into a former member of the Chinchilla Community Commerce & Industry Inc (CCCI) after the business organisation's internal audit process revealed a loss of funds related to alleged stealing.

The CCCI, an organisation focused on promoting and supporting businesses in Chinchilla and surrounding areas, released a statement on Thursday morning detailing their disappointment that an internal audit of their funds revealed alleged dishonest behaviour. 

"Since our founding in 2009, Chinchilla Community Commerce & Industry Inc. (CCCI) has been an organisation that emphasises honesty and integrity in our operations. We strongly believe that upholding these values is a critical element in CCCI's long-term ability to deliver support to our community and members," the statement read.

"We have been disappointed to learn that not all employees have upheld these goals. As CCCI embarked on an internal process review in 2020, we discovered problems that had evolved during our last reporting period.

These issues have now been handed to the Queensland Police for them to continue the investigation."

It is understood by Chinchilla News that the investigation is focused on a former member who allegedly stole a significant amount of money from the community organisation.

In the statement released, the CCCI reassured the community and its members that the alleged dishonest behaviour of one former member has not affected its ability to promote local business and was picked up during an internal audit.

"Our volunteers and employees work for and on behalf of our members and community," the statement read.

"We hold funds on behalf of them and have processes and policy to ensure appropriate use of these funds.

"It is through these processes that this activity was identified. We have already begun a thorough internal investigation to audit our processes and will adopt any lessons and implement further controls from this investigation."

"We take this opportunity to assure our members and wider community that this incidence has not to date and will not in the future affect our ability to deliver services to our members and community.

"Throughout the investigation we have continued our operations as normal and will continue to do so.

"We carry insurance against such instances and believe our processes reduce any risk of such
dishonesty reoccurring.

"We will pursue avenues to recover these funds that rightly belong to our members and community."