Gopalakrishnan Vilayur, 50, is among those charged with conspiracy to defraud the Commonwealth, as well as exercising their influence as a public official to obtain a financial advantage. Three Australian public servants who allegedly used their inside knowledge to influence IT contracts at the Department of Finance have been charged with conspiring to defraud the federal government, ABC News reports. It is alleged the three men used their knowledge as public servants within the department in Canberra to direct contracts through preferred suppliers, and that they received a financial benefit for their efforts. No details of the alleged fraud were discussed in court, and no figure was put on the value of the crime. Police said the arrests came after a complex investigation, which began after officers were alerted by the Department of Finance in July last year.

Source: The Standard June 13, 2020 12:56 UTC