Woman accused of dropping $170K on charity credit card

A CHARITY founder accused of splurging $170,000 on a charity credit card and awarding her lover a six-figure contract has been sacked and faces a police investigation.

Jean Madden. Picture: John Gass

A CHARITY founder accused of splurging $170,000 on a charity credit card and awarding her lover a six-figure contract has been sacked and faces a police investigation.

Street Swags founder Jean Madden is accused of using the charity to pay for thousands of dollars in lunch bills, giving her partner a $528,000-a-year contract and driving the organisation to the brink of bankruptcy.

The details are contained in court documents tendered in an ongoing Supreme Court battle between the charity and Ms Madden.

Jean Madden founded charity group Street Swags.

The charity raised $1 million in donations last year, including $27,000 from Tour de France winning cyclist Cadel Evans, but now faces liquidation amid ongoing legal costs and missing assets.

The charity’s collapse would be a disastrous blow to Sydney’s homeless, with almost 5000 swags distributed in recent years.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Ms Madden threatened to drive her former charity into bankruptcy by moving its assets to her partner’s cabin manufacturing business Walkabout Beds.

“If proceedings are not swift and to my liking, when the current stock is gone, Street Swags will be nothing more than my legacy,” she wrote to Street Swags in March.

“If I was to leave, the cabin business would go with me and I may make it my new commercial endeavour.”

Court documents show Ms Madden is alleged to have racked up thousands of dollars on her charity credit card in a matter of days hosting lunches and also charged $2324 to her Apple Store account in June and a Toyota Landcruiser via a loan through the charity for about $60,000.

Queensland Police are investigating a forensic audit of the company.

“We have received a forensic audit and it is currently under investigation,” Detective Senior Constable Chris Smith said.

Court documents show Street Swags alleges Ms Madden was romantically involved with the Walkabout Beds owner when she authorised a $528,000-a-year contract for cabins.

In March Ms Madden opened Swags with Walls, which makes cabins for the homeless.

Ms Madden recently posted an emotional video to Facebook denying all allegations: “I started the charity Street Swags back in 2005. During this time I’ve had an impeccable career which has been outstanding with many awards and accolations (sic)

“I would like to assure everyone that I have spoken to the Queensland Police and the Federal Police ... and they ensured me they have received no forensic report and as far as they are concerned I am not under any investigation.” Ms Madden could not be reached for comment.