Cruise company office manager rips off employer $2.4m

The wife of a cruise company CEO is accused of defrauding $2.4 million from the business they both worked for, making 500 fraudulent transfers over three years — allegedly getting more brazen as time went on.

The wife of a cruise company CEO is accused of defrauding $2.4 million from the business they both worked for, making 500 fraudulent transfers over three years — allegedly getting more brazen as time went on.

Susanne Hunter leaving the Downing Centre on Wednesday. Picture: Monique Harmer

Susanne Marie Hunter faced Downing Centre Local Court for the first time on Wednesday after specialist strike force investigators charged her with a dozen fraud offences earlier this month.

The 61-year-old was a passenger service and office manager at Cruise and Maritime Voyages Australia while her husband, Grant, was CEO.

She is accused of making hundreds unauthorised electronic money transfers from the cruise line company account between January 2014 and September 2017.

Hunter has been charged with eight counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception and four counts of knowingly deal with the proceeds of crime.

Court documents paint a picture of her alleged crimes becoming more ambitious and brazen as time went on.

The 61-year-old was a passenger service and office manager at Cruise and Maritime Voyages. Picture: Monique Harmer

In 2014 she allegedly recorded 40 false entries in the cruise line’s accounting system for another company she was director of — Atlas Marine Pty Ltd — to the tune of $129,000.

The following year she is accused of 90 false entries totalling $425,000.

In 2016 this doubled 189 occasions reaching $745,000.

The following year she stopped in September but is accused of 40 occasions at almost $460,000.

In the three-year period Ms Hunter also allegedly received $400,000 into Atlas Marine Pty Ltd then transferred funds to other accounts connected to her “knowing that it was the proceeds of crime”. She is listed as being the director and secretary of Atlas from 2013 to 2019.

Ms Hunter is also accused of transferring $280,000 from the cruise company’s account into her own bank account trading as Travel Marketing for services “that were never provided” in the same period.

Her lawyer Arthur Carney yesterday asked for the matter to be adjourned for eight weeks until April 23.

Susanne Hunter is accused of making hundreds unauthorised electronic money transfers from the cruise line company account. Picture: Monique Harmer

Cruise and Maritime Voyagers issued a statement to The Daily Telegraph following the court appearance.

“An internal investigation into accounting irregularities at Cruise & Maritime Voyages uncovered some concerns regarding the handling of company funds while the business was under the management of Mr Grant Hunter, CEO, and his wife Mrs Susanne Hunter, Passenger Service and Office Manager between 2013 and 2017,” a spokeswoman said.

“The matter was referred to police and is now the subject of a formal criminal investigation of which Cruise and Maritime Voyages is unable to comment further on.”

Hunter’s husband has not been charged with any offences and The Daily Telegraph does not suggest he had any involvement.