NAB fraud case: Human Group’s Helen Rosamond charged with bribery

Company director Helen Rosamond faces 58 charges after a NAB fraud probe involving high-level executives.

Helen Rosamond, pictured in December. Pic: Hollie Adams

The director of a human resources company has been charged with bribery following an investigation into an alleged multimillion-dollar fraud at National Australia Bank.

Helen Rosamond, 43, of Human Group, was arrested at her home in Sydney’s Potts Point this morning and later charged with 56 counts of bribery and two of fraud involving $6.6 million.

The charges relate to transactions involving $40m between 2013-17, police said.

Ms Rosamond later appeared in court via video and was granted $200,000 bail.

NSW police said they expected further arrests or charges and remarked that the seniority of the figures involved in the investigation was unusual.

The NSW Financial Crime Squad has been investigating services provided by the Human Group to the NAB, and into whether it paid kickbacks to bank staff to secure inflated contracts with the NAB.

The trips — which allegedly cost the bank on average over $10m a year — included numerous first-class getaways attended by the bank’s leading executives, including then chief executive Andrew Thorburn.

Police said they will allege that “the woman covered personal expenses for others, with a total value of more than $6.6 million, to maintain a professional contract with a client between 2013 and 2017”.

NAB said in a statement following today’s arrest that there was no suggestion of any wrongdoing by anyone at NAB, including by Mr Thorburn, and that it was a “victim” in the case.

NSW Police Force State Crime Commander and Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said the seniority of the people involved in the alleged offences was unusual.

“Obviously the corporate corruption squad in the financial crimes unit does deal with big numbers, but the involvement of CEOs and some very senior executives is something that we haven’t seen before,” Mr Smith said.

“The behaviour of the people in charge of the companies, they are charged to carry out businesses with integrity. It is very clear that this hasn’t occurred in this investigation and people will face court.”

Mr Smith said the charges related to commissions paid to ensure the viability of contracts between the company and the financial institution at inflated values.

Police will allege the bank was a victim of the offences.

“There have been a lot of personal expenses and outcomes which were paid out of these corrupt commissions,” Mr Smith alleged.

“And there has been a lot of benefit that has been received by these individuals that we have seen.”

Woman charged over alleged role in multi-million dollar corporate fraudhttps://t.co/svsDN66khM pic.twitter.com/PBSfsWYXaX

— NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) March 1, 2019

NAB said if proved, the allegations of fraud represented a “serious breach of trust”.

“The alleged fraud was reported by a whistleblower. NAB responded immediately, investigated and reported it to police,” the bank said.

“If the alleged fraud is proven, it represents a most serious breach of trust by a former employee.

“We continue to co-operate fully with police and we thank them for their important work in investigating this matter.

“NAB is the victim in this matter. Police have confirmed that no one at NAB is under investigation, including former CEO Andrew Thorburn, and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by anyone at NAB.

“While this remains before the court it is not appropriate for us to comment further.”

Mr Thorburn recently resigned from NAB in the wake of the banking royal commission.

The charges follow a whistleblower report that led to the formation of Strike Force Napthali in February last year.

The North Sydney offices of Human Group were raided in April. Police have executed 20 search warrants and have imposed restraining orders on dealing with $10 million of property and other assets.

Mr Smith said the company and the financial institution involved had done business totalling $118 million over 12 years, but that Napthali officers were focusing on activity between 2013 and 2017.

It comes as Mr Thorburn’s former chief of staff Rosemary Rogers is due to face the NSW Supreme Court on March 18 after the NSW Crime Commission obtained court orders in December freezing her assets and those of her husband Anthony.

The crime commission froze four properties controlled by Ms Rogers and her husband, including their $4 million home in ­Williamstown and a holiday house in Bellbrae, as well as three NAB bank accounts, a $1m cheque, two boats, a boat trailer and a Range Rover.