Fraudster Joseph Morehu-Barlow’s trail of financial trickery led to jail
In 2004, Joseph Hohepa Morehu-Barlow walked into Queensland Health with a fake law degree and began his rise through the ranks to finance officer – and access to taxpayer millions.
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JOSEPH Hohepa Morehu-Barlow had always been good at fooling people.
In 2004, he walked into Queensland Health with a fake law degree from Victoria University of Wellington and rose through the ranks to become a finance officer.
For the next six years, he carried out what would be the biggest fraud in the history of Queensland’s administration.
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Morehu-Barlow covered up his lavish lifestyle, funded by stolen money, by peddling the lie he was royalty.
Years earlier, when living in New Zealand in his early 20s, he was convicted of stealing about $50,000 from an employer. His one-year jail sentence was suspended. To his colleagues and friends, Morehu-Barlow was a Tahitian prince who had to work to gain access to his trust fund.
Six years ago, he was jailed for stealing $16.6 million from Queensland taxpayers.
The scandal rocked the government and premier Anna Bligh vowed the black spot that stopped Morehu-Barlow’s New Zealand criminal record being flagged would be fixed.
By 2005, the Queensland Health public servant had began his fraud by transferring small amounts. As a realised he could swindle money undetected, he began stealing more. He became more confident and moved money destined for Queensland charities into private bank accounts, in some cases he even forged signatures. For years, he transferred public funds to his own accounts. It all came crashing down in late 2011 when $11 million went missing from Queensland Health, using it to buy a luxury New Farm residence for $5.4 million, which boasted a wine cellar, five bathrooms, private pool and pontoon on Brisbane River, as well as parking places for his three late-model Mercedes-Benz cars.
Morehu-Barlow became a well-known figure on the Brisbane social and was regularly seen looking sharp in Louis Vuitton suits, bought from the CBD store that regularly closed so the VIP shopper could browse without interruption.
Following his arrest, about 1500 of his most prized possessions were auctioned to recoup money for health care in Queensland.
Among the goods on offer were cufflinks and diamond rings, Brett Whiteley paintings, Hermes gardening tools and even a Louis Vuitton surfboard.
Many said the fraud should have been detected sooner. It was later revealed the corruption watchdog had failed to act on a complaint.
A scathing report into the scandal found a litany of failures allowed the brazen fraudster to funnel millions of dollars into his own pocket.
He made 65 separate cash transfers that a simple company search could have exposed as illegal. Even when the Crime and Misconduct Commission received a complaint about Morehu-Barlow, it acted too slowly to stop millions being siphoned from the health system. Its excuse was that the complaint did not identify the extent of the fraud and it was anonymous. In 2013, Morehu-Barlow was sentenced to 14 years’ jail.
The CMC found it took the department’s ethics unit more than three years to investigate and substantiate Morehu-Barlow’s misuse of a department vehicle in 2007, while probes into suspect corporate credit card purchases were never finalised.
There is no money owing to Queensland Health from his fraud. All funds were repaid through the State Government’s insurance scheme
Morehu-Barlow became eligible for parole in 2016.
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RISE AND FALL OF THE FAKE PRINCE
2004
Joel Morehu-Barlow starts working for Queensland Health. Employees notice his lavish lifestyle but he tells them he’s a prince who must work to access his trust fund. He rises in the ranks, claiming he has a law degree.
2007
Aug A complaint is lodged alleging Morehu-Barlow misused an official Queensland Health vehicle.
Sep Morehu-Barlow promoted to principal finance officer.
Oct Morehu-Barlow establishes Muse Business Inspiration and makes first fraudulent payment of $2200.61.
2008
Jan Morehu-Barlow continues to make payments to Muse.
Sep Morehu-Barlow establishes “Healthy Initiatives and Choices” and hands it $33,000.
2009
Jan-May Morehu-Barlow authorises nine fraudulent payments to HIC for $379,500.
2010
Aug The Crime and Misconduct Commission receives an anonymous complaint about Morehu-Barlow, which is dismissed.
2011
Jan-Feb Four fraudulent payments made to HIC totalling about $770,000. A complaint about car misuse is substantiated, resulting in a reprimand.
Feb An audit raises concerns about Morehu-Barlow’s use of a corporate credit card.
Nov Morehu-Barlow makes a final fraudulent payment of $11 million.
Dec Fraud is detected. Morehu-Barlow arrested by police at his $5.6 million luxury New Farm unit.
2013
Morehu-Barlow jailed for 14 years.
2016
Dec He is eligible for parole.
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