ICAC investigates $343 million in Transport for NSW contracts linked to kickbacks
When asked what Helmy’s thinking was behind these approaches, Le told the inquiry that the first meeting was usually about seeing if the contractors would agree to reach an agreement, while the second meeting was about “smoothing out the details.”
Le acknowledged that they had a deliberate strategy to address contractors’ concerns about whether job bids were competitive. In turn, it allowed two NSW Transport officials to capitalize on the contractors’ concerns because it was clear they would not be able to win the contracts without their help.
The inquiry also heard that smaller firms had harbored concerns that larger companies might offer cheaper prices to win business.
Under the arrangements, Le confirmed contractors would pay Helmy a percentage of the total value of the work they would do for Transport for NSW. The inquiry previously heard that the Twin City received nearly $20 million in work from the agency between October 2021 and June of this year.
ICAC investigates allegations that Helmy is a murderer The mastermind behind corrupt relationships With nine companies paid at least $343 million in contracts for kickbacks by Transport for NSW. Le had previously confirmed to the investigation that his involvement in the kickback scheme with Helmy began in 2018.
A WhatsApp message exchange on January 5, 2022 was also shown at the inquest on Tuesday, in which Le said: “You know what I like. Scheming.”
Helmy replied: “Hahahaha me too. I like bouncy ideas.”
Asked about these messages, Le accepted the offer, expressing his delight in disrupting the tender process at Transport for NSW.
He also accepted that the extent of the pair’s improper actions extended to allowing Helmy to exclude from consideration contractors who submitted cheaper bids for the work and to inflate the value of the works for his preferred contractor.
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The pair’s other actions included submitting false applications and backdating emails to further their own goals, as well as making false statements to Transport for NSW colleagues about the circumstances in which tenders were received.
Le was also questioned Tuesday about his dealings with contractor Kerway Asphalting, which received about $35 million in work from the trucking agency between 2019 and this year.
The inquest was shown messages between him and Helmy in November 2020, with Le saying: “They’re all the same, just a bunch of white c—s paying us.”
Helmy responded: “Absolutely hahah. At the end of the day it’s all just a bunch of f—— wages.”
Asked about them, Le rejected Ranken’s suggestion that the messages showed the pair viewed the contractors as people who were only there to pay them money to which they were not entitled.
Helmy, 38, accused of pickpocketing $11.5 million commission more than 15 years from contractors in exchange for giving them work. Helmy and Le were removed from Transportation late last year and dismissed in February.
The public inquiry into the kickbacks is part of the ICAC investigation known as Operation Wyvern. This is the fourth procurement fraud at Transport for NSW since 2019.
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