$19k for accused fraudster and prominent African community leader Abeselom Nega

A prominent African community leader has been accused of stealing $4.2m from the government — but his backers are standing by him.

Abeselom Nega has been accused of high-level fraud.

An accused high-level fraudster’s legal fighting fund was boosted by almost $20,000 in a community whip-around.

Supporters of prominent African community leader Abeselom Nega took to the online social fundraising platform GoFundMe to raise the cash in the months after he was charged in 2020.

Mr Nega will face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in May over charges relating to an alleged $4.2m fraud.

The businessman won millions of dollars in state government contracts to run support programs for troubled youths and refugees; however, police allege he gambled most of it away – including $2.4m at Crown casino.

The GoFundMe appeal cited Mr Nega’s 15 years’ serving his community and the work he had done for young African Australians.

It said he was in a “difficult position” and that it was time to show unity and friendship by supporting him.

“He needs our support morally and financially for his ongoing expenses to lawyers,” it read.

The fund raised $19,100 of its $20,000 goal through the goodwill of 50 donors.

Former City of Melbourne councillor Beverley Pinder previously criticised her own council for its lack of scrutiny when handing over almost $400,000 in funds to Mr Negra between 2015 and 2017.

She described the alleged fraud as a “disgrace”.

“Community leaders who inveigle themselves with political parties and benefit from strategies of the bureaucracy are a disgrace and a blight on those who are intent on supporting and progressing opportunities for all minority groups,” she told the Herald Sun.

Police allege Mr Nega had been carrying out the government fraud for more than a decade and would go as far as meeting a young female bookkeeper at the Radisson Hotel to secretly falsify records for his company, iEmpower.

It’s alleged he and his son also cooked up a violent conspiracy against a manager who raised issues with his company prior to charges being laid. His son has not been charged.