Jodi Louise Nuske gives evidence in trial over alleged Bistro C fraud

A Noosaville woman on trial for allegedly swindling more than $750,000 from a Hastings St restaurant has taken the stand to air explosive claims against her former employer.

Jodi Louise Nuske leaves Maroochydore District Court. Pictured: Patrick Woods.

A 44-year-old Noosaville bookkeeper alleged to have swindled more than $750,000 from famed Hastings St eatery Bistro C has aired explosive allegations against her former boss.

Jodi Louise Nuske returned to Maroochydore District Court for the fifth day of her trial on December 12, where she was supported by a number of people in the public gallery.

Ms Nuske has pleaded not guilty to one charge of defrauding her former workplace, Noosa restaurant Bistro C, in Hastings St.

On Monday, after her defence counsel finished cross-examining forensic accountant Lisa Demartini, it was announced Ms Nuske herself would give evidence.

There, she told the court she heard her former employer, Bistro C owner Lorraine Banks, had committed tax fraud by deliberately taking cash from the business.

Ms Nuske said she was told this from her former colleague, who Ms Nuske eventually took over from as bookkeeper.

She also told the court she knew one of Ms Banks’ daughters was paid cash wages while working at the restaurant, and for a small period was not clocking her hours correctly.

Jodi Louise Nuske leaves Maroochydore District Court. Pictured: Patrick Woods.

But when Bistro C underwent a GST audit, she said Ms Banks was “terrified” and fled to Bali, leaving her accountant Paulette Clarke and Ms Nuske to deal with it.

“(Ms Banks) knew she would get caught,” Ms Nuske said.

Ms Nuske said she refused to give out “fraudulent information” and Mrs Clarke did the audit instead, but Ms Nuske “boxed up” the before-tax sales reports, as asked by Mrs Clarke.

When Ms Banks returned, she gave Ms Nuske a bottle of champagne, she said.

“She got emotional, she was crying and she thanked me and said no one has ever done anything like that before and I saved her life,” she said.

This was not the first time Ms Banks had given gifts to her staff, Ms Nuske told the court, after she claimed one staff member was handed $150,000 to buy a house and another was given a BMW convertible.

Defence barrister Scott Casey then asked Ms Nuske about the various transactions from Bistro C which had landed her in court, and whether these transactions had been authorised.

Ms Nuske said they had been authorised, and said she and Ms Banks had a conversation in early-2015 about how Ms Nuske had not had maternity leave or long service leave, despite working for the business for nearly two decades and having two children.

Bistro C restaurant, Noosa Heads. The restaurant over looks Noosa's Main Beach.

“I had requested to get my maternity leave and my long service leave paid out … we came to a situation that benefited both of us mutually … I was allowed to make payments in lieu of maternity leave and long service leave,” she said.

Later, Ms Nuske said Ms Banks told her she could pay “certain expenses” out of the business, though it was never established specifically what.

Ms Nuske said she understood it as “personal expenses”.

Earlier in the trial, the court was told Ms Banks thought of Ms Nuske as a daughter and had given her power of attorney over her will.

Ms Banks was then grilled by Ms Nuske’s defence counsel over a 17-page police statement, where Ms Banks agreed a claim Ms Nuske had apologised after being confronted with the transactions was missing from the statement.

On December 8, a forensic accountant laid bare an investigative report into the alleged fraudulent transactions.

The trial continues on December 13, where Ms Nuske is expected to be cross-examined by the prosecution.

Originally published as Jodi Louise Nuske gives evidence in trial over alleged Bistro C fraud