Former roading contract manager facing SFO fraud and corruption charges named
A former roading contract manager facing Serious Fraud Office fraud and corruption charges can be named after losing a bid for continued name suppression.
Former Broadspectrum employee Jason Koroheke faces three charges of obtaining by deception and 12 charges of acceptance of gifts by agent.
In his role at Broadspectrum, Mr Koroheke was responsible for awarding road maintenance work to subcontractors. The SFO alleges Mr Koroheke was the primary offender in a number of schemes where he allegedly accepted gifts in exchange for awarding this work as well as submitting false invoices.
The subcontractors are alleged to have submitted invoices to Broadspectrum, both real and fake, which were authorised by Mr Koroheke. Once Broadspectrum paid the subcontractors, they are alleged to have used this money to provide gifts to Mr Koroheke in the form of cash, goods or services. In this way, Mr Koroheke is alleged to have benefitted by more than $1 million.
Four subcontractors who have also been charged in relation to the allegations are Frederick Pou and Jeanette Pou of Coastal Roading Contractors, Richard Motilal of Engineering and Aviation Supplies, and one other who has continuing name suppression.
Mr Koroheke, Mr and Mrs Pou, Mr Motilal and the remaining subcontractor have all pleaded not guilty.
Aurelian Mihai Hossu (also known as Michael Hossu), a former maintenance manager of Broadspectrum who worked with Mr Koroheke, pleaded guilty in April to four charges of acceptance of gifts by agent. He was sentenced to 11 months home detention in June.