QLD:Qld Health man charged with $250,000 fraud

AAP General News (Australia)
12-24-2011
QLD:Qld Health man charged with $250,000 fraud

By Darren Cartwright

BRISBANE, Dec 24 AAP - A Queensland Health employee has been charged with defrauding
an indigenous grants organisation of more than $250,000.

The 28-year-old man will face Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday with dishonestly
obtaining $253,181 from the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander College for
Health, Education and Training, police say.

The investigation into the alleged fraud began three months ago.

It's believed the money was siphoned off between February 2010 and March 2011.

Queensland Health director-general Tony O'Connell said the man was not an employee
of Queensland Health during the time the alleged fraud occurred.

"The person charged is currently employed in the Metro North district of Queensland
Health as a project officer on a temporary short-term contract," Mr O'Connell said.

"A criminal history check was undertaken on this employee prior to this temporary contract."

Dr O'Connell said the man had now been suspended and had not been involved in managing
grants funding at Queensland Health.

Police say the charges are not related to any other fraud investigation.

It's the second major fraud involving a Queensland Health employee this month.

Joel Morehu-Barlow appeared in court on December 13 charged with embezzling $11 million
from the department, and he is also suspected of stealing $5 million more.

Barlow, 36, was the manager of the finance division of the Community Services Branch
at Queensland Health.

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson says the investigation into the missing $5 million
was continuing and will take time to complete.

AAP dac/afr/wjf

KEYWORD: GRANTS WRAP

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