Media Releases
Former senior education department official and relative sentenced to jail following IBAC’s ‘banker school’ investigation
A former Department of Education and Training Director and his cousin were sentenced to jail at the County Court of Victoria following a major investigation by IBAC.
Mr Nino Napoli was sentenced to three years and 10 months jail and must serve 23 months before he is eligible for parole. His cousin, Mr Carlo Squillacioti, was sentenced to two years and five months jail and must serve 15 months before he is eligible for parole.
Both had entered guilty pleas to one charge each of conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to attempt to pervert the course of justice.
Mr Napoli and Mr Squillacioti were two of six people charged in 2017 with a range of criminal offences as a result of IBAC’s Operation Ord, a major investigation into allegations of corrupt conduct by senior officers of DET, in connection with the use of ‘banker schools’ and related activities.
IBAC's investigation focused on allegations that senior departmental officers misappropriated funds from the Department's budget, through false and inflated invoicing as well as arranging payment of inappropriate expenses including excessive hospitality, travel and personal items.
As part of the investigation, Mr Robert Napoli, brother of Nino Napoli, recently entered a guilty plea to one charge of conspiracy to defraud.
Mr Robert Napoli’s plea hearing is listed for 6 September 2021.
As part of Operation Ord, IBAC held public hearings between April and June 2015, and tabled a special report to Parliament in April 2016. IBAC also made a range of recommendations to DET to improve its policies, systems and practices to prevent corruption. DET's reports on its implementation of these recommendations are available on the IBAC website.
Media contact: media@ibac.vic.gov.au or 0427 480 840
