Public inquiry into corruption allegations involving $1.7 million obtained by TAFE ICT manager

Monday 27 July 2015

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will hold a public inquiry starting on 17 August 2015 as part of an investigation it is conducting into allegations that a TAFE ICT manager dishonestly obtained over $1.7 million from the Department of Education and Communities TAFE South West Sydney Institute (SWSI).

The public inquiry will examine allegations that, between January 2014 and July 2014, Acting Manager TAFE ICT (information and communication technology) Services Ronald Cordoba dishonestly exercised his public official duties to obtain a financial advantage of more than $1.7 million for himself from SWSI by authorising false purchase orders, supplying false invoices to SWSI and dishonestly authorising payment of those invoices to his own business, Storm Solutions.

The Commission is also investigating allegations that, between November 2013 and March 2014, Mr Cordoba secured a payment of $55,000 from an SWSI IT contractor, by falsely claiming that he had been authorised by SWSI to undertake work as a IT subcontractor on behalf of the SWSI contractor.

The public inquiry will start at 10:00 am and will be held in the Commission's hearing room on Level 7, 255 Elizabeth Street, Sydney.

The ICAC Commissioner, the Hon Megan Latham, will preside at the public inquiry, and Counsel Assisting the Commission will be Mr Scott Robertson. The inquiry is set down for four days.


Media contact: ICAC Manager Communications & Media, Nicole Thomas, 02 8281 5799 / 0417 467 801