National Gallery of Victoria employee allegedly stole $8m to buy phones he later sold
Victoria’s anti-corruption body charges the ex-staffer with seven counts of theft and one count of misconduct in public office Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A former senior National Gallery of Victoria employee is alleged to have funnelled $8m from the gallery over six years. He allegedly bought $8m worth of…
According to Victoria’s anti-corruption body, an ex-staffer at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has been charged with seven counts of theft and one count of misconduct in public office. The ex-staffer is alleged to have stolen $8 million over six years by funneling money from the gallery’s account to buy mobile phones, which he then sold for personal gain.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) made the allegations, stating that the purchases were made under an NGV account totaling approximately $8 million. The investigation began in September 2024, following the IBAC's probe into allegations of corrupt conduct related to the theft and misuse of the ex-staffer's position.
The individual is set to appear before Melbourne magistrates court on October 20. The NGV confirmed the financial fraud involving an employee, with the matter reported to Victoria police and IBAC in September 2025, leading to the termination of the employee's employment. Since September 2025, the gallery has introduced new measures and controls to enhance its systems and processes.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
