Fourth person charged over alleged $71m fraud
A fourth person has been charged over an alleged $71m Defence contract fraud in Darwin.
Jessica Buckley, 47, a director of Indigenous company M+J Builders, and wife of co-defender Michael Buckley, faced Darwin Local Court on Friday charged with one count of dishonestly gaining a benefit from a Commonwealth entity.
Mrs Buckley, Michael Buckley, Natalie Wynne and Dallas Wynne are alleged, Australian Federal Police say, to have been “involved in a conspiracy to influence the awarding of tenders to their company, with the intention of dishonestly gaining a benefit from the Commonwealth, namely the Department of Defence”.
Strict bail conditions
Mrs Buckley was granted bail under strict conditions, including surrendering her passport, mandatory police reporting and not to be in possession of more than one phone or SIM card.
An AFP spokesperson said in a statement supplied to the ABC that it would be “alleged in court that the woman conspired with the above-mentioned Commonwealth employee, his spouse and the fellow building company director in the above offending”.
“Operation Panton Hill remains an active investigation with inquiries continuing.”
The investigation is believed to have started when a Department of Defence report highlighted irregularities in relation to the awarding of contracts to NT businesses.
Membership suspended
The two companies’ under investigation have seen their memberships of the Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN) suspended this week.
Mrs Buckley was bailed to appear again in Darwin Local Court with her co-accused on February 16.
Mr and Mrs Buckley started M+J Builders in 2008. The company website states they wanted to build a family legacy and become one of the Territory’s industry leaders in commercial and residential construction, renovation, insurance and repairs and maintenance works.
