Dodgy education bigwig pursued over schools rort

A public service bigwig who siphoned funds from disadvantaged schools to splash on wine and the upkeep of his toupee is facing a lawsuit to claw back the cash.

Former Education Department bigwig Nino Napoli outside court in 2018. Picture: AAP Image

Disgraced ex-education bigwig Nino Napoli is facing a lawsuit to claw back cash he siphoned from some of Victoria’s most disadvantaged schools.

The Herald Sun can reveal the Department of Education is pursuing the former executive in the Supreme Court for damages after he last year admitted to crimes linked to the rorting of millions of dollars from banker schools.

The former schools resource allocation general manager was accused of funnelling $1.9 million to friends and family, and of blowing thousands of dollars on wine, a TV and the upkeep of his lavish toupee.

In a writ filed in the Supreme Court, the education department claim Napoli “acted maliciously for the purposes of the tort of misfeasance in public office”.

Nino Napoli. Picture: AAP

It claimed Napoli, who managed the $5.3 billion School Resource Package, approved or submitted dodgy invoices from companies related to him or his associates over seven years.

The invoices sought payment for work that never happened, only happened in part, were at inflated prices or were unrelated to education.

Napoli was given authority to approve general expenses of up to $150,000, or grants of up to $1 million.

The department said Napoli’s actions were in breach of his signed employment contract in which he agreed he would “faithfully serve the employer and at all times use his best endeavours to promote the interest of the employer”.

His contract also included implied terms that Napoli “owed duties of good faith and fidelity” to the department, court documents claim.

The Education Department has not put a price on how much they want Napoli to cough up, only claiming they are pursuing damages, interest and legal costs.

Napoli was originally charged with 152 offences, but last year pleaded guilty to just two — conspiring to defraud and perverting the course of justice.

He issued an apology in August last year, saying he had been with the education department since 1974 and that his job had been his identity.

“I apologise to the people of Victoria, the court, my colleagues, my family and my friends,” Napoli said.

“This apology marks the biggest failure of my life.”

The banker schools program, where select campuses received large sums of money to be shared with other nearby schools, has since been abolished.

Napoli’s cousin, Carlo Squillacioti, who was the director of one of the companies who benefited from the rort, has also pleaded guilty.

The pair are waiting to be sentenced.

Meanwhile, Napoli’s brother Robert and sister-in-law Domenica will face trial later this year over allegations of their involvement in the rort.

A three week trial has been set in the County Court from September 3.