The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has laid more charges as part of its investigation into alleged financial gains linked to builder registrations signed off by the Victorian Building Authority.
One of the extra 28 people charged is a staff member of the regulator and the rest are either building registration applicants or people who allegedly helped facilitate applications for others.
They are scheduled to face Melbourne Magistrates Court in late January.
A further 28 people have been charged as a part of Operation Perseus, IBAC's investigation into allegations of corrupt conduct at the Victorian Building Authority relating to the assessment of builder registrations in exchange for a financial benefit. — IBAC (@ibacVic) https://t.co/AR0Arlnuw7January 23, 2025
Six people were charged in 2024 as part of the Operation Perseus probe, including two employees, two applicants and two others involved in the alleged corrupt conduct.
Suspicious activity was reported to the corruption body by the regulator in June 2023 but further details on the allegations have been scant.
The Victorian Building Authority has been mired in scandal in recent years.
Its chief executive Sue Eddy resigned in May 2023 after it was revealed some plumbing inspections were carried out virtually.
In September 2022, WorkSafe charged the regulator over the death of one of its inspectors who died by suicide earlier that year.
It was also charged with recklessly engaging in conduct that placed another person in danger of serious injury, and failing to provide or maintain a workplace that was safe and without risks to health.
In October, the Victorian government announced it would abolish and replace the regulator after a report laid bare weak responses to complaints about builders' unprofessional or incompetent conduct.
The report examined complaints across 75 homes, of which 22 remained incomplete and four were still embroiled in legal action.
In one example, a family was slapped with a bill for an extra $2 million, two years after signing a contract.
The contract was terminated after they paid the additional money as well as an extra $2.6 million to fix defects and finish construction.
One couple approaching retirement were yet to move into their "forever home" and instead was paying for alternative accommodation after complaining to the regulator in mid-2019.
All complainants continued "to suffer severe financial, emotional and physical distress", drawing an apology from the authority's chief executive Anna Cronin but no commitment for compensation.
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