Steven Prestage: Contractor allegedly defrauded $500,000 in public funds
A government contractor in Sydney allegedly funnelled more than half-a-million dollars from the NSW Department of Finance, Service and Innovation into his own accounts by issuing false invoices to the Department for IT work.
Central Sydney
Don't miss out on the headlines from Central Sydney. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- ‘Heaven has another angel’: Tributes for barista killed in crash
- Aspiring nurse sentenced for stealing drugs
A man at the centre of an ICAC probe for allegedly stealing more than $500,000 in government funds has faced court for the first time.
Steven Prestage, 46, is facing 18 fraud charges, with police alleging he funnelled the more than half-a-million dollars from the NSW Department of Finance, Service and Innovation to his personal accounts during his time as an IT contractor there.
The 18 charges of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception all relate to Mr Prestage allegedly issuing false invoices to the Department between May 17 and September 14, 2016, to the amount of $547,800.
Another 13 dishonesty charges relate to his interview with the Independent Commission Against Corruption around the alleged fraud, where he is accused of giving false or misleading evidence and procuring a false witness testimony.
An ICAC report was made public in January 2019.
Prestage did not attend Downing Centre Local court on Thursday, with the court being told he lives in Verrierdale, Queensland, with his family.
In 2016, Mr Prestage worked for the Department in Sydney.
During an ICAC compulsory examination on December 13 and 14, 2017, it is alleged Mr Prestage gave false or misleading evidence about the creation of a company and its adjoining bank account, his work experience at the Bank of Queensland, and conversations he had with a friend, whose business name he had allegedly used without consent.
He is also alleged to have procured his mother-in-law to give a false testimony at the ICAC examination, according to the charges.
The matter will be back before the courts on October 15.