Cheree Curran on trial for allegeding stealing from Tom Breuer

One of Sydney’s richest men was “crestfallen” by allegations his executive assistant had stolen almost $1.3 million from him, his daughter has said in court.

One of the richest men in Sydney was “crestfallen” by the possibility his trusted executive assistant had stolen more than $1 million from him, a court has heard.

Cheree Curran is on trial at Sydney District Court over allegations she siphoned $1.28 million from late eastern suburbs property mogul Tom Breuer to her own accounts over three years.

She has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of obtaining a financial benefit by deception, with police alleging she spent the funds on clothes, Apple products and luxury goods.

In court, Mr Breuer’s daughter Nicky McWilliam – a lawyer who is married to former Seven commercial director Bruce McWilliam – described her father as “crestfallen” by the allegations.

“He said that he had given her a good salary, had increased her salary, that he gave her bonuses and that he was very good to her,” Ms McWilliam said.

“He was terribly upset … he wanted to start civil proceedings, and he wanted to claim some of it back.”

Cheree Curran leaving the Downing Centre. Picture: Thomas Lisson.

Mr Breuer died aged 89 shortly after the alleged theft was detected, having denied any knowledge of the transfers.

Cheree Curran leaving the Downing Centre. Picture: Thomas Lisson.

The jury had previously heard Ms McWilliam recalled Curran claiming she transferred the money to pay off women, “grifters” and public officials for Mr Breuer.

“(My father) said I did not give her that money, I did not ask her to transfer money in that way,” Ms McWilliam said.

“He was resolute that he did not.”

The court has heard Ms McWilliam and Mr Breuer’s staff discovered the alleged theft when she stepped back into his business around 2022 after an estrangement from her family following her mother’s death in 2010.

A series of Ms McWilliams’ private texts read out in court also lifted the veil on the family’s hidden conflict over the family’s fortune and businesses.

In some texts to Curran – which Ms McWilliams agreed were about the fate of their mother’s eponymous Eva Breuer Gallery in Woollahra – she referred to her siblings as “hyenas”.

In her evidence, Ms McWilliams said she had wanted to keep the gallery open, while her siblings Tony and Nadia wanted to sell it.

“I honestly think of the term ‘hyenas’ from The Lion King, they are not very nice animals,” Ms McWilliams responded to defence barrister Mike Smith’s suggestion she was referring to her siblings “picking over” their mother’s fortune.

“It’s probably a bit extreme, it’s there, it’s my writing, I own it … I’m embarrassed and ashamed that I wrote that.”

Ms McWilliams said she had thought of Curran as a “safe space” in whom she had previously confided.

The court also heard extraordinary claims about the true expanse of Tom Breuer’s wealth, including that he had a “large” property portfolio that generated approximately $760,000 a month in rent.

He was also said to have had a share portfolio worth $60 million, and a pension fund of $6.5 million.

The trial continues.

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