Former Ipswich mayor Andrew Antoniolli guilty of fraud

Former Ipswich mayor Andrew Antoniolli has been convicted of 12 fraud charges.

Andrew Antoniolli was was accused of using council funds to purchase items for his own use at charity auctions. Picture: Darren England/AAP

Former Ipswich mayor Andrew Antoniolli will be sentenced by a magistrate next month after being convicted of 12 fraud charges laid by the Queensland corruption watchdog.

Appearing in Ipswich Magistrates Court this morning, Antoniolli was accused of using council funds to purchase items for his own use at charity auctions.

A former policeman, Antoniolli, 48, served as a councillor for 18 years before being sacked last year after he was charged.

During his final months on the council, Antoniolli served as mayor, replacing Paul Pisasale, who has also been hit with a number of charges by the Crime and Corruption Commission.

The watchdog’s investigation, which has seen several former top ranking council officers charges, led to the sacking of the entire Ipswich City Council in 2018.

During the trial before Magistrate Anthony Gett in May, the court heard Antoniolli had contravened council policy, instructed charities to lie on their donation request forms and hidden the purchases from the council.

Among the items bought at auction were a $5000 Trek bicycle, artworks, a signed rugby jersey and a gym membership between 2005 and 2017.

Magistrate Gett adjourned the matter for sentencing on July 30.