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Former ATO assistant commissioner charged with fraud offences
Nick Petroulias has been charged with nine fraud offences following an investigation into the sale of properties owned by the Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Former assistant tax commissioner Nick Petroulias has been charged with seven counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and two counts of making false documentation to obtain financial advantage.
The charges follow an investigation by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) into Petroulias and three other individuals relating to the sale and development of properties owned by the Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council.
A report released by ICAC in October 2022 found that four individuals, including two public officials, engaged in corrupt conduct through a dishonest scheme involving the purported false sale and/or development of properties owned by the Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council (ALALC) that resulted in three individuals deriving more than $1 million in benefits.
The report examined the conduct of Nicholas Petroulis, solicitor Despina Bakis, former ALALC chairperson Debbie Dates and former deputy chairperson Richard Green, between 2014 and 2016, and their involvement in the scheme.
According to ICAC, the scheme allegedly comprised Petroulias falsely representing that a company he controlled, Gows Heat Pty Ltd, had an option to purchase ALALC properties that it could on-sell to another party.
"To provide credibility for this representation, Bakis prepared false contractual documents between Gows and the ALALC; she also had an undeclared conflict of interest in that she was engaged as the solicitor for the ALALC, through her legal business, Knightsbridge North Lawyers, while also representing Gows," ICAC said in a public statement.
"Petroulias’ conduct included improperly altering ALALC board meeting minutes and participation in preparing the sham agreements."
According to reports by the ABC, lawyer Despina Bakis has also been charged with fraud, as has former deputy chairperson of the ALALC board Richard Green.
Nick Petroulis, Despina Bakis, and Richard Green will all appear at the local court on 23 July.
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