Detectives from the Strike Force Whittlesford that was set-up in 1999 have already questioned several vendors both in Australia and overseas about the payments. Executives of those companies who knowingly paid secret commissions could also find themselves in trouble. SmartHouse has been told that several CE vendors including several from Asia who sold stock to Big W and Dick Smith are being investigated by Strike Force Whittlesford. “A strikeforce insider said”It is illegal to take a bribe as well as pay a bribe and in this case we are investigating seveal vendors across several categories including technology”. The 57-year-old former executive was arrested at his Castle Hill home at 5.30pm yesterday and charged with nine counts of fraud, according to a report from the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH). The charges related to the company’s MIS division (management information systems) before the man left the company in 1999. |
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he $3.7 million commissions were paid to the executive after awarding $37 million worth of contracts ten years ago. The executive was charged with three counts of a director or officer cheating or defrauding, two counts of conspiracy to cheat or defraud (receiving corrupt commission, corrupt inducement for advice) and two counts of money laundering, said SMH. The strike force investigation enlisted the assistance of various overseas law enforcement agencies, in London, Rome and Paris, the report said. The alleged fraud happened when Woolworths chief executive Reg Clairs was in the seat, however it has not been suggested that he was aware of the instances. |