Addicted to a life of crime
02/09/2010
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By Clare Costigan
A 37-year-old Brisbane based bank manager for a large financial institution is now behind bars for siphoning nearly $75,000 out of dormant customer accounts to fuel his drug and gambling addiction. The employee used a sophisticated swindle involving transferring funds from customer accounts to his own by changing the names to avoid detection, it was revealed.
The frequency of these incidences occurring in the workplace is on the rise, resulting in an accompanying increase in performing criminal background checks and making them a vital part of the hiring process.
Managing director of Verify, Greg Newton, said it was not only new employees being screened, with employers now monitoring existing workers, particularly those who work in specific areas.
It was not revealed whether the bank manager cited above had been involved with embezzlement in the past. Although he was seen as "fundamentally a very fine character", beneath the facade he was addicted to gambling.
"The company may be responsive to legislation that mandates periodic checks such as regular criminal history checks. This is especially true if they are required to work with vulnerable groups, in financially sensitive areas or in controlled environments.
"There are always those checks that should be carried out regularly to confirm that your employee has the ongoing licences, qualifications or authority required to perform in the job," Newton said.
Newton said certain industries have a higher need and rate of security and background checks. "ASIC regulation requires that background checks be done on relevant persons such as Criminal History and Credit History Checks. Many health-focussed organisations and such need to conduct continuing professional development checks on doctors to ensure they are keeping their knowledge up to date relevant to their scope of practice," he said.
Newton also said that employers are now taking more invasive approaches to monitor employees, such as random drug and alcohol checks for workplaces where employees are operating equipment or working in dangerous work conditions such as in the mining or construction industries.