NSW’s corruption watchdog is preparing to launch yet another inquiry into alleged misconduct at the hands of an IT manager in the state’s education and training sector.
Just one month after wrapping up its investigation into Brett Roberts, who was found to have defrauded several state universities of more than $114,000, ICAC has turned its gaze to the TAFE sector.
On 17 August, it will hold hearings into IT manager Ronald Cordoba, who stands accused of having “dishonestly exercised his public official duties” to obtain $1.7 million from his employer, TAFE’s South Western Sydney Institute (SWSI).
ICAC will claim that between January and July last year, Cordoba authorised the payment of false invoices and purchase orders between the institute and his own managed services provider business, Storm Solutions.
He is also accused of misleading a TAFE supplier into paying him an additional $55,000 by claiming he had been authorised by the training institute to carry out work as a subcontractor.
Cordoba did not return CRN's calls or emails.
In past years the commission has dug up a number of fraud and probity weaknesses inside the IT support wings of NSW universities, training organisations and the education department.
Prior to its investigation into Brett Roberts, ICAC also uncovered evidence of nepotism and preferential dealing among IT staff at Sydney University.
In 2014, an IT contractor to NSW Education was jailed over a 2007 contracts-for-kickbacks scandal.
-1.jpg&w=100&c=1&s=0)
.png&w=100&c=1&s=0)
