A former executive of Anglo American has been accused of misappropriating more than $4 million from the company over the last 12 months.
Anglo American has filed a civil suit in Brisbane’s Supreme Court alleging that Brisbane-based project director Glenn Tonkin issued fake invoices from companies around the world that either did not exist or had not performed any work for the company.
Mr Tonkin had been in charge of running Anglo’s Grosvenor underground coal mine near Moranbah in Central Queensland. He was reportedly on a salary of $350,000 a year and was responsible for signing off contractor payments of up to $15 million.
According to the ABC, “The company claims money purportedly destined to pay for mine equipment and services was instead siphoned off into private bank accounts in Barbados and London.”
The Queensland Police Service has been informed of the allegations, which are described in affidavits as “serious criminal conduct”.
The ABC reports that Mr Tonkin resigned from the company last month after being confronted by Anglo’s head of human resources. A co-worker of Mr Tonkin’s is believed to have blown the whistle on the former executive after finding serious discrepancies in paperwork and email correspondance.
“The former executive has claimed privilege over a laptop alleged by Anglo to be missing, and a range of documents sought by Anglo’s lawyers relating to bank accounts, saying that to reveal them could incriminate him in criminal proceedings,” reports the ABC.
The Brisbane Supreme Court has issued orders freezing $1.5 million of Mr Tonkin’s assets.
He has told the court he owns $3 million worth of property, a $700,000 luxury catamaran and several cars and motorbikes.
The case in the Supreme Court has been adjourned to a date to be set.
Source: ABC News
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