Fairfax Media this week revealed that Mr Campbell has been accused of misappropriating and misusing more than $30 million in company money to fund an extravagant lifestyle for his family and business associates. The allegations made in a Federal Court lawsuit filed by Fiat Chrysler also include claims Mr Campbell provided free cars for celebrities Shane Warne, Elizabeth Hurley, Harry Kewell and Gary Ablett Jr in breach of company governance rules. In a growing scandal for the US-based carmaker, it is also alleged that Mr Campbell's successor as Australian CEO, Veronica Johns, used company money to help fund renovations to her family home. In documents filed with the Federal Court, Fiat Chrysler also claims cars that were meant to be donated to charities and sporting foundations were gifted to Ms Johns' husband and to the owner of the building company that worked on their family home. Ms Johns, who was the first female CEO of an automotive company in Australia, unexpectedly quit her job late last year, citing "personal reasons".

The US-based car manufacturer is seeking to reclaim company money that it alleges Mr Campbell spent with businesses controlled or owned by himself, his wife Simone, business associates and personal friends during his tenure as managing director of the local subsidiary from 2010 to 2013. Fiat Chrysler claims that corporate funds were directly or indirectly used to pay for a $400,000 yacht, a plane, trips to New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro, a golf and spa holiday in New Zealand, luxury villas in Crown Casino, Victorian Racing Club memberships worth $244,800, and more than $380,000 in gift vouchers. Central to Fiat Chrysler's claim is that just weeks after Mr Campbell was appointed managing director in October 2010 he hired business Motortrak to provide "web services" for the company's network of 59 dealerships at a rate of $690 a month each. By May 2015, Campbell had authorised the contract value to increase to $4100 per month for each of the company's now 184 dealers. It is alleged that Mr Campbell had formerly held a senior role at Motortrak and still "has, or appears to have, an interest in Motortrak and to have benefited personally from the Mototrak contract", the writ says.

This includes a personal relationship with Motortrak director Gary Pask, who was given an all expenses paid trip by Fiat Chrysler – along with Mr Campbell – to the Australian Dealer of the Year event in New Orleans in February 2013 that coincided with the Super Bowl and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Fiat Chrysler claims more than $20 million has been paid to Motortrak since 2011, which it says is "substantially greater than the cost for similar web services provided by Motortrak itself and by competitors". Solicitor Sam Bond said Mr Campbell's position was that "the allegations in the statement of claim are not only completely denied but considered scandalous". "We are confident that, in due course, the allegations will be shown to be wrong and will be embarrassing for FCA," Mr Bond said. "The fact that internal politics within FCA has caused it to want to tarnish the name of Mr Campbell who took the business to enormous levels of growth is as unfortunate as it is unfair."

The application for the freezing order is scheduled to be heard by the Federal Court in Melbourne on Wednesday morning. Fairfax Media can also reveal that Mr Campbell is no longer involved with Fiat Chrysler New Zealand, a private enterprise he established in partnership with car importer Neville Crichton after leaving Fiat Chrysler Australia. Mr Campbell and Mr Crichton were equal partners in the business until May 12, 2015 when Mr Crichton took complete control of the company as the accusations against Mr Campbell emerged. In addition to the importation and distribution of existing Fiat Chrysler Group models the pair had announced plans to convert left-hand drive Ram pick-ups (another Fiat-Chrysler brand) and sell them in both New Zealand and Australia. A statement from Mr Crichton's Ateco Group read: "Fiat Chrysler New Zealand is now a wholly-owned subsidiary or the Ateco Group. As soon as the company became aware of the accusations a mutually agreed settlement was reached. Clyde Campbell has no involvement and no interest in Ateco.

"Fiat Chrysler New Zealand is now operating as business as usual, as is the Ram trucks project." - with Stephen Ottley