ICAC investigation into former Transport for NSW workers sees WhatsApp exchange
Helmy replied: “Far, that’s bad.”
Helmy, 38 years old The mastermind behind corrupt relationships With nine companies paid at least $343 million in contracts by Transport for NSW in return for paying bribes to him and several other officials. He allegedly pocketed $11.5 million in kickbacks.
In the WhatsApp conversation, Le told his former colleague that he would be called up again this year and that “I definitely have to accept some things.”
Helmy quizzed him about how long the secret hearing had lasted and whether contractors Lack Group and Kerway Asphalting had been mentioned, then speculated that investigators must have obtained information from his own computer seized during raids in September last year.
Le also told Helmy that ICAC was aware the pair met after the raids and warned him that “they must still be watching” and advised him not to make phone calls while asking him to “stay in the threads”.
Helmy responded: “Oh my God.”
Under questioning by ICAC counsel assisting Rob Ranken, SC, on Tuesday, Le confirmed that he was considering further lying about the nature and extent of his involvement in improper dealings with contractors, even after being questioned by the commission last December.
Le agreed with the suggestion that he provided Helmy with some details about the issues covered in his review, as well as the contractors named during the review.
Asked if Helmy had discussed any plans to leave the country at the time, Le said his colleague told him that authorities had confiscated his passport.
During questioning, Le also admitted willingly helping Helmy disrupt Transport for NSW’s tender process by uploading documents for him to the agency’s computer system.
Mohamed Helmy took the witness stand at the ICAC inquiry on Tuesday.Credit: ICAC
His assistance extended to gaining access to Helmy’s work email address; Helmy was using this address to send fake emails purporting to be Le, containing fee schedules for contractors and other documents.
Late on Tuesday, Helmy’s younger brother Mohamed was asked whether he knew his brother was involved in corrupt dealings with contractors. He was also questioned about bank statements showing large sums of money he received from his brother to invest in cryptocurrency.
The questioning was repeatedly interrupted by outbursts from Mohamed Helmy, who was told by ICAC chief commissioner John Hatzistergos to answer Ranken’s questions and show respect, reminding him that he had a duty to cooperate with the investigation.
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Suddenly he said: “I’m asking this commission to stop fabricating evidence.”
He disputed the claim that he had knowledge that his brother was receiving money from contractors.
Ranken showed him evidence that his brother transferred $257,200 to him between December 2017 and March 2018. When asked if this was for investing in cryptocurrency, he replied: “Probably.”
Mohamed Helmy was suspended from his IT support role at the NSW Department of Communities and Justice in July after working at the agency for nearly a decade.
