Helen Rosamond’s NAB fraud trial delayed after accused unable to find a lawyer

Her adversaries have spent $1.3m on forensic accounting, but alleged NAB fraudster Helen Rosamond hasn’t been able to do better than $940 in legal aid.

Helen Rosamond arriving at the Downing Centre Court in Sydney. Picture: Gaye Gerard

A judge has delayed the trial of a former corporate high-flyer alleged to have been involved in a massive invoice fraud at National Australia Bank after she was unable to find legal representatives.

Helen Rosamond, the owner of events company of Human Group, had been due to stand trial on July 26 for her alleged role in a long-running $40m fraud scheme.

Ms Rosamond is facing 73 charges, including a charge for attempting to dishonestly obtain a benefit by deception, and knowingly using a false statement to induce a person to act so as to provide an actual advantage. She has previously pleaded not guilty.

But Ms Rosamond’s lawyers were successful on Tuesday when they sought to vacate the trial date, which is now likely to take place in early 2022.

Lawyers acting for the crown had opposed Ms Rosamond’s application, noting they were ready to bring the case to trial.

Ms Rosamond’s lawyers said she was unable to afford a senior council after having her accounts frozen by NAB.

The bank, which sent a legal representative to observe proceedings, froze Ms Rosamond’s accounts in a bid to prevent her bid to fight the case chewing up further assets which it is seeking to recover.

Her lawyers said they had made an application for legal aid in March to fund legal council, but were unable to secure a senior representative in the short time frame with the budget available.

Justice Clive Jeffries heard Ms Rosamond’s solicitor had approached Sir Owen Dixon Chambers, Sameul, and Griffiths Chambers, and none could take her case.

Legal Aid had provided $940 to fund Ms Rosamond’s defence on the condition she pay $1150 to supplement it.

The court had also heard Ms Rosamond’s solicitor had sought $1m to prepare a forensic account of payments, but the application had been knocked back by legal aid.

The court was told NAB had spent $1.3m as part of its civil case against Ms Rosamond on a forensic account of payments made.

Ms Rosamond is now due back in court on July 9 for a case management hearing.

The former head of the Human Group had been swept up in an investigation into millions of dollars allegedly paid out as part of an inflated invoices scheme.

The trial of Ms Rosamond follows the conviction of former NAB chief of staff Rosemary Rogers in January this year for Rogers’ role in a multimillion-dollar fraud and kickbacks scheme.

A court found Rogers had profited from $5.5m in kickbacks from illegitimate and inflated invoices submitted to NAB.

The scheme was only uncovered after a whistleblower’s letter, collectively sent to all NAB executives and board members, tipped off investigators to the fraud only days after she secured a payment allegedly from Ms Rosamond to assist in the purchase of a new home.

The judge found Rogers had approved inflated invoices for payments to Human Group over several years.

Rogers had been found to have received kickback payments allegedly from Ms Rosamond which she used to fund a lavish lifestyle.

The former chief of staff to NAB’s then chief executive was sentenced to eight years in January, with a non parole period of four years and nine months.

Rogers’ sentence was lessened after she agreed to provide a statement against Ms Rosamond.