Perth Magistrates’ Court.
Camera IconPerth Magistrates’ Court. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Bookkeeper denies WA corruption charges

AAPWestern Suburbs Weekly

A BOOKKEEPER has pleaded not guilty to helping a senior bureaucrat and another man to carry out Western Australia’s biggest public sector theft.

Paola Colangelo, 45, made her first appearance in Perth Magistrates Court on Monday charged with nine corruption offences.

Police allege Colangelo, who is not a state government employee, acted in concert with former Department of Communities executive Paul Whyte and his co-accused, physiotherapist Jacob Anthonisz.

She has denied the charges.

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Whyte and Anthonisz are each facing 530 charges after allegedly raising false invoices for three shelf companies dating back to 2008.

Whyte has signalled through his lawyer that he will plead guilty to the charges in relation to the alleged $22 million fraud.

Colangelo was granted bail and will return to Perth Magistrates Court on February 24.