A traffic controller has told the state’s corruption commission that he went behind his “wife’s back” to pay kickbacks to a Transport for NSW (TfNSW) official, in order to win lucrative roadwork contracts.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is investigating allegations that Ibrahim Helmy, who worked for TfNSW for 15 years, received $11.5 million in payments for helping contractors secure roadwork jobs, often at inflated prices.
Mr Helmy failed to appear at ICAC earlier this month and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The whereabouts of former Transport for NSW employee Ibrahim Helmy is unknown. Supplied: NSW Police (Supplied: NSW Police)
On Thursday, operations manager at Direct Traffic Pty Ltd, Adam Spilsted, became emotional, telling the commission he would pass cash to Mr Helmy “under the table” at a Merrylands restaurant to help secure contracts for the business.
“I was scared of not getting any work,” he said
“Working for a government agency such as Transport for NSW is a privilege,” he said, choking back tears.
“I’ve done the wrong thing … It’s something I should have … reported.”
Helmy allegedly demanded money, hearing told
Mr Helmy is alleged to have earned more than $11 million in kickbacks from the scheme. (Supplied: ICAC)
Mr Spilsted told the hearing that Mr Helmy initially offered to help him win state government contracts because he knew Mr Spilsted’s father.
The ICAC earlier heard that about $48 million in contracts had been awarded by TfNSW to Direct Traffic Pty Ltd between 2018 and 2025.
Mr Spilsted said Mr Helmy gave him tender evaluation criteria, as well as confidential information on other companies’ bids.
However, during one of their meetings at Merrylands library in 2018, Mr Helmy allegedly asked for money.
“In order for me to give you this work, I would expect some type of payment,” Mr Helmy allegedly said.
Counsel Assisting, Rob Rob Ranken SC, asked Mr Spilsted whether he understood the gravity of that request.
“Did you appreciate that what he was proposing was improper?” Mr Ranken asked.
“It was very improper,” Mr Spilsted replied.
Adam Spilsted said he later told his wife, Mechelina Van Der Ende-Plakke, who is a director of Direct Traffic Pty Ltd, that Mr Helmy had asked for money.
“She didn’t want to give him any money whatsoever,” he told the hearing.
According to Mr Spilsted, Mr Helmy threatened to stop helping him win contracts unless he got paid.
“So, what I did was went behind my wife’s back,” he told the commission.
Mr Spilsted said he initially paid Mr Helmy using gift cards, but was soon told “the gift cards aren’t cutting it”.
He later made several large cash withdrawals and handed them to Mr Helmy both in his car and “under the table” at an Egyptian restaurant in Merrylands.
However, as the relationship continued and more contracts were awarded to the business, Mr Spilsted said the transport official wanted more money.
“Every time that I’d see him, he’d ask for money all the time,” he said.
Hearing played secretly-recorded phone call
The inquiry was told that Ibrahim Helmy received millions in cryptocurrency, gold and cash payments. (Supplied: ICAC)
Mr Spilsted told the hearing that Mr Helmy ultimately asked him to pay about $600,000.
He said that when his wife found out about that demand, she threatened to “dob” Mr Helmy in to TfNSW.
Mr Spilsted said he warned her against going to authorities, saying they would both get into a “lot of trouble” because “we’d already paid him”.
The hearing was then played a phone conversation allegedly between Ms Van Der Ende-Plakke and Mr Helmy, recorded by Mr Spilsted.
In the recording, she told Mr Helmy she was “shocked”.
“If we would go ahead with this [and] it would ever come out, it would not be good,” she said.
She told Mr Helmy she only wanted her company to win contracts based on merit.
The man — allegedly Mr Helmy — responded by trying to reassure her.
“I don’t see it as badly as you’re seeing it,” he said.
However, he later conceded “it is not 100 per cent legal”.
The hearing continues.
