ABC: $134,000 spy bill under spotlight as ICAC inquiry wraps up

• Toplace lawyer Sharangan Maheswaran said he persuaded his employer to subsidise the cost as he was owed money.
• Operation Rosny held its final day of hearings on Tuesday.

The ICAC inquiry revealed that Toplace paid a private investigator $134,000 to surveil former Strathfield mayor Matthew Blackmore, with covert devices and months of monitoring in 2022 and 2023. The operation was described as a 'personal matter,' but Toplace lawyer Sharangan Maheswaran said he convinced his employer to subsidise the bill due to 'tangential' links and money owed.

The inquiry also examined allegations of blackmail and prohibited political donations, including efforts to pressure Mr Blackmore to resign, backgrounding journalists, and distributing 6,000 flyers with damaging information. Operation Rosny wrapped up after two months, with 20 people questioned over political influence, secret payments, and targeting opponents.

• $134,000 surveillance bill paid by Toplace
• 6,000 flyers printed with damaging information
• 20 people questioned in Operation Rosny

• Review payments and invoices involving Toplace and Shane De Kauwe for surveillance activities.
• Scrutinise political donations linked to the NSW Reformers and third-party funneling as described in Operation Rosny.
• Assess communications and flyer distribution actions by Sharangan Maheswaran and Karen Pensabene for potential blackmail or undue influence.

This story highlights the risks of covert payments, political influence, and use of surveillance in local government. Compliance officers should be alert to unusual payments, especially those described as 'personal matters' but subsidised by corporate entities. The inquiry's focus on prohibited political donations and third-party funneling underscores the need for robust controls and monitoring to detect and prevent corruption, blackmail, and improper targeting of political opponents within organisations and their affiliates.