Corruption watchdog to allege former Redcliffe MP committed fraud offences and solicited at least $400,000 in secret commissions

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A former Queensland Liberal National party MP has been charged with 16 fraud-related offences.

The Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) announced on Tuesday it had charged Scott Driscoll, 39, with the counts that include soliciting secret commissions, fraud and fraudulent falsification of records.

Driscoll, the former member for Redcliffe, resigned from the Queensland parliament in November last year after the ethics committee found him guilty of misleading the house.

“The CCC will allege that between August 2011 and May 2013 the man committed fraud offences worth $725,000 and solicited at least $400,000 in secret commissions from two entities,” the CCC said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The CCC will not allege that the man ever received the secret commissions.”

Driscoll will appear in Brisbane magistrates court on 23 October.

The charges come as the state’s former watchdog, the Crime and Misconduct Commission, and Queensland police launched an investigation into allegations of misconduct and fraud in April 2013.

In January this year, the CMC finalised its investigation and referred a brief of evidence to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The CCC decided to proceed with criminal charges after hearing back from prosecutors on 1 October.

Driscoll’s wife, Emma Driscoll, is also going through the courts after being charged with perjury and dishonesty charges.