A jury has been told that an alleged fraudster’s scheme to reward a senior employee of NAB and get prolonged commercial contracts with the bank included corrupt payments and changed invoices.
Prosecutor Katrina Mackenzie outlined the several allegedly fraudulent privileges and financial advantages the CEO of Human Group obtained between 2013 and 2017 in her final arguments during Helen Mary Rosamond’s NSW District Court trial.
Rosamond, 47, has entered a not guilty plea to a number of counts, but Ms. Mackenzie said Rosamond deceitfully used bank cash to sustain Rosemary Rogers, a former chief of staff to the CEO of the National Australia Bank, in a life of luxury.
“This is how the accused makes sure Rose Rogers remains on her side, is content, and continues to get her perks,” According to Ms. Rogers, she had become reliant on to support her way of life, Ms. Mackenzie said in court.
Rosamond is accused of paying for Rogers and her family’s flights both domestically and abroad while concealing this from the bank and employees of Human Group, an events and human resources firm, by billing these sums to NAB via false, changed invoices.
These payments included $3,200 for a stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney, $7,500 for a trip to Fiji, $40,000 for a weekend at the Park Hyatt in Sydney, $35,000 for a stay at the Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast for a friend’s birthday, and $29,000 to mark her 10th wedding anniversary at the Sapphire Resort in Hobart.
In addition, Rogers got $12,000 for a Brig Falcon boat, more than $128,000 for patio improvements at her vacation property in Bellbrae, Victoria, and close to $91,000 for a Bunkhouse Cell mobile.
She claimed to the court that she didn’t pay back any of these sums, just asking Rosamond to cover them.
After pleading guilty to 27 charges of gaining a benefit via corruption and five counts of acquiring a financial advantage by deceit, Rogers earlier informed the jury that she will be sentenced to jail in December 2020.
Rosamond is also accused of purchasing enormous garden umbrellas for her own house in the Mosman neighborhood of Sydney for over $40,000 using these false invoices.
According to testimony given in court, these payments were not authorized by NAB and were made both to financially benefit Rosamond and to guarantee that Human Group’s agreement with the bank would be renewed.
On June 19, 2014, Rogers asked that the original 2008 contract between Human Group and NAB be extended by an additional two years. Six days later, this extension received the all-clear.
Judge Robert Sutherland is still hearing the case.