Sarah Regina Esposo reprimanded for misconduct as a psychologist

A disgraced ex-education department staffer who abused her position has been reprimanded for misconduct as a psychologist.

Sarah Regina Esposo in 2023. Picture: John Gass

A disgraced ex-education department staffer who abused her position as a public servant with an intention to dishonestly gain a $2.5m benefit has been reprimanded for misconduct as a psychologist.

Sarah Regina Esposo was sentenced to a suspended three years’ jail term in 2023 for her role in a scandal related to a school opinion survey business she ran with her sister.

She pleaded guilty to a single charge of misconduct in public office between September 3, 2016 and June 14, 2018, when she was a “principal statistical officer” with the department.

A second charge of fraud to the value of more than $30,000 but less than $100,000 was dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions on the day she was sentenced.

In reasons given on June 25 Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal member Richard Jones stated that Esposo’s role in the opinion survey business called School Measures “involved criminality” and “constituted a serious breach of trust as a public servant, not only in respect of her employer, but also in respect of the taxpaying public at large”.

Sarah Regina Esposo arrives at Brisbane Supreme Court in December 2023. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / John Gass

Mr Jones, a former District Court judge, stated that Esposo’s involvement in the scheme spanned over a lengthy period of time and amounted to an ongoing failure to declare a conflict of interest, which in turn aided her co-offender Roland Hirokazu Simons to continue his fraudulent activity.

Simons, who was Esposo’s mentor, was sentenced to a six-year head sentence, with parole eligibility after 18 months in 2024 after he pleaded guilty to 11 criminal charges including two counts of corruption.

Esposo’s sister, Joanna Maria Kho, who did not work for the department, pleaded guilty to fraud and misconduct in public office and was sentenced to three years prison, suspended for four years and was ordered to pay $30,360 compensation.

Esposo, 43, must re-apply to the Psychology Board of Australia if she wishes to return to work as a psychologist.

The state’s health ombudsman unsuccessfully submitted to the tribunal that Esposo should be disqualified from applying for registration as a psychologist for six months.

Her registration lapsed in January 2022 after she elected not to renew her registration when it was due for renewal in November 2021, the decision states.

She first obtained general registration as a psychologist on 12 August 2010 and previously worked at Macquarie Bank doing psychometric testing.

After starting her career with the education department in November 2010 she resigned on 7 May last year but was subject to a post-separation disciplinary finding of termination of employment on June 11 last year.

Esposo submitted that she received no personal financial advantage from the School Measures scheme, she had been a “long serving and highly regarded public servant” and volunteered at a Catholic Church in West End in Brisbane’s inner city.

Police searched her West End home on 7 June 2018 and she was charged on 16 July 2019.