Lobbying firm linked to Reformers created fake administrative assistant named ‘Jessica’, Icac hears
Summary
A former lobbying firm linked to a faction of the Liberal Party created a fake assistant named “Jessica” to send fake invoices. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is investigating if the firm accepted illegal payments to fund political work related to party member recruitment and conservative causes.Key Facts
- The lobbying firm Beckington was created by Jeremy Greenwood and Christian Ellis in 2019.
- ICAC is investigating whether Beckington accepted prohibited donations for work connected to the Reformers, a Christian conservative group within the Liberal Party.
- Beckington allegedly used fake invoices signed by a fake assistant named “Jessica” to receive payments.
- Payments came from Michael O’Hara and Catholic Schools NSW, which are under scrutiny for illegal donations.
- Greenwood admitted to paying $12,000 to Jean-Claude Perrottet, brother of Premier Dominic Perrottet, though it is unclear if the payments were for political work.
- Christian Ellis moved to the UK and declined to give oral evidence at the inquiry.
- Greenwood said he first heard of O’Hara around 2019 or 2020 and disputes being an active member of the Reformers group.
- The inquiry is probing if these payments were concealed political donations and if they influenced party activities.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
