Alexander Josiah Koefman fined for disclosing CCC secrets out of a ‘misguided loyalty’

A doctor has been fined for disclosing CCC secrets out of a ‘misguided loyalty’ to his mentor, who was the target of an investigation, a court has heard.

Neurosurgeon Dr Alexander Josiah Koefman after appearing in the Brisbane Magistrates Court in January. Picture: NewsWire

A Brisbane neurosurgeon has been fined for his “uncharacteristically stupid” choice to disclose CCC secrets out of a “misguided loyalty” to his mentor, who was the target of an investigation.

Alexander Josiah Koefman, 44, faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday for disclosing the existence of a confidential document to another person at Brisbane’s CBD on December 23, 2023.

The court heard Koefman had been contacted in the weeks prior by the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) about a scheme involving medical equipment, which he was not involved in himself.

He had engaged in conversations with a CCC detective over some weeks, and was told the conversations needed to be kept confidential, the court heard.

The subject of investigation had been a mentor, friend and work colleague, who defence barrister Samuel Bain said Koefman had acted out of a “misguided loyalty” to.

Alexander Josiah Koefman leaves Brisbane Arrest Court in January.

Mr Bain said Koefman’s choice not to engage lawyers at the time demonstrated an “uncharacteristic stupidity”.

“Foolishly … he clearly didn’t appreciate the seriousness of his actions,” he said.

Koefman had no criminal history and pleaded guilty to the single count of disclosing confidential documents.

Both the prosecution and defence agreed that it would be appropriate to fine Koefman around $2500 with no convictions recorded.

Magistrate Ross Mack compared the suggestion to the fine for not wearing a seatbelt, asking “so this is about twice as bad as that?”

“Look I’m not here to lecture you,” Mr Mack told Koefman.

“You will have thought hard and long about it and you would have got some fairly blunt advice from your solicitors so I’m not going to reload on that.”

At Koefman’s first appearance in January, he had refused to leave the court building for more than seven hours in an attempt to avoid the media – before security had to ask him to leave at the end of the day.

Following submissions from the parties, Mr Mack agreed to fine Koefman $2500 with no conviction recorded.