A magistrate has found former Ipswich mayor Andrew Antoniolli guilty of 13 fraud-related charges, criticising his testimony for being "largely self-serving and significantly contrived".

Key points: Antoniolli misappropriated and fraudulently used the council's community donation fund to buy charity items over 12 years

Antoniolli misappropriated and fraudulently used the council's community donation fund to buy charity items over 12 years He claimed it was accepted practice at the council to delete all references to auction items before sending payments for final approval

He claimed it was accepted practice at the council to delete all references to auction items before sending payments for final approval Sixteen people have now been charged after the CCC's investigation

The 48-year-old was on trial last month in the Ipswich Magistrates Court for 12 counts of fraud and one count of attempted fraud between 2005 and 2017.

He was today found guilty of all charges, stemming from buying items at charity auctions — including a football jersey, several artworks and a bicycle — and charging them to the council's community donation fund.

Antoniolli's wife began crying when Magistrate Anthony Gett described her husband's witness testimony as "evasive, deflective and deliberately unresponsive to crucial issues".

"My overall assessment of the defendant's evidence was that it was largely self-serving and significantly contrived," Magistrate Gett told the court.

Antoniolli often repurposed the items by gifting them to community groups to use in future auctions. The other items purchased were kept on council premises except one yellow bike, which was stored in his shed at home.

The courtroom was filled with Antoniolli's family, friends, media and community members. ( ABC News: Anna Hartley )

Although the court accepted Antoniolli did not use any items himself, Magistrate Gett said the former mayor ultimately benefited because he controlled what happened to everything he purchased.

Magistrate Gett said while he believed Antoniolli genuinely cared about community groups, he found he was dishonest in his intent.

"My overall observations of his conduct and demeanour answering questions in the witness box gave the impression his evidence appeared to be rehearsed and lacked a ring of truth," he said.

Antoniolli will remain on bail until he is sentenced on July 30.

'High-powered bullying in council'

The entire Ipswich City Council was sacked last year by the State Government as a result of a corruption probe and an administrator was brought in.

The Ipswich City Council building, west of Brisbane. ( ABC News: Eric Tlozek )

Sixteen people have been charged as a result of the Crime and Corruption Commission's investigation, including several current or former council employees or councillors.

An interview between Antoniolli and the Crime and Corruption Commission was played in court during the trial last month, in which he told police there was "high-powered bullying" within the council at the time.

Antoniolli also argued it was accepted practice to act outside procedure by deleting all references to "auction items" before sending the payments for final approval by council's Community Donations Branch.

He said he was told by two former chief executives and former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale that what he was doing was allowed.

However, Magistrate Gett said today Antoniolli acted dishonestly and misappropriated council money.

"It begs the question as to why someone would conceal such circumstances — the only rational inference is the defendant knew it was wrong to make such requests to the Community Donations Branch," Magistrate Gett said.

"The defendant conceded in cross examination and during [his Crime and Corruption Commission interview] that the community donation policy was flawed because it had low transparency and accountability."