Source : Perth Now news
An alleged fraudster and former private secretary of Sydney billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson has been granted bail with a huge $1 million surety, offered by her husband.
Annalouise Spence, 51, was arrested in April, during a raid of her home in Sydney’s inner west following an investigation into alleged fraudulent expense claims.
Ms Spence, 50, worked for Ms Neilson for several years until 2025, with police alleging she misappropriated $1.6m using a business credit card.
Police allege the unauthorised use of the credit card accounts spanned over a five-year period, between December 2019 and November 2024.
The transactions allegedly made between March 2023 and September 2025 included “purchases of luxury and personal items” such as clothing, artwork and jewellery, police allege.
Court documents, seen by NewsWire, also allege she used a black Amex card in March 2023 to purchase tickets to see the Cure in Seattle, first-class flights to Seattle, via Los Angeles, and baseball tickets.
The trip totalled $29,118, the documents allege.
She also allegedly treated herself to a five-night stay at the Carlyle Hotel, in New York, costing $38,757, as well as a “premium hospitality package” at the Grand Prix in Melbourne, totalling $23,000.
She has been charged with 128 counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.
Ms Spence has spent the last two months at Dillwynia Correctional Centre near Windsor, a maximum security facility for female offenders.
However, in the Supreme Court of Sydney on Thursday, Ms Spence was granted strict conditional bail.
In her submissions, barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC said Ms Spence is of prior good character, has no criminal history, and this is her first time in custody.
She also claimed Ms Spence did not pose a flight risk, there was no evidence of witness interference or document tampering or any further offending after her employment at the Foundation ceased.
Bail concerns would be adequately addressed by the proposed bail conditions, she submitted.
Under the bail conditions, Spence must be taken straight from jail to a mental health facility in Sydney’s eastern suburbs for treatment.
If released from the clinic, she must reside at her Erskineville home, and report daily to police.
She has also surrendered her passport and must abstain from drugs and alcohol.
She must also provide a $1m surety.
She will next appear in court on 16 July.
