'Corrosive': ex-rail boss jailed over corrupt contracts

Former V/Line chief executive James Pinder has been sentenced to two years and eight months in jail for misconduct of public office, according to prosecutors. The corruption scheme involved awarding a $54 million cleaning contract to Transclean, a company co-directed by George Haritos, Alex Kyritsis, Steven Kyritsis, and Maria Tsakopoulos.

Pinder, who had a personal connection to Haritos, accepted $330,000 in corrupt payments, including a $100,000 loan for the deposit on his home. Haritos was also found guilty of conspiracy to give secret commissions and two counts of giving secret commissions. Tsakopoulos, who was in a relationship with Haritos, and Steven Kyritsis, the son of Alex Kyritsis, received community corrections orders and were ordered to perform unpaid community service.

The corruption case, uncovered by the Victorian corruption watchdog through Operation Esperance, extended from April 2018 to August 2020. The judge emphasized that the conduct was corrosive of public trust, damaging citizens' faith in public servants and leading honest contractors to engage in similar corrupt behavior.