Overview
- Investigators allege a Defence employee, his wife and a director of a local construction firm conspired to steer building tenders worth nearly $71 million.
- Each has been charged with dishonestly gaining a benefit from a Commonwealth entity, and the Defence employee also faces an abuse‑of‑public‑office charge.
- The benefit charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment, while the abuse‑of‑public‑office offence carries up to five years.
- Searches across greater Darwin seized electronic devices, documents, $30,000 in cash, jewellery, a firearm and a small quantity of suspected cocaine.
- The case stems from an internal Defence report referred to the AFP and NACC in March and follows an eight‑month investigation known as Operation Panton Hill, with the trio due in Darwin Local Court on Monday.