A former CommBank IT executive who pleaded guilty to taking bribes in a cash for contracts scandal has received a three-and-a-half year jail sentence from Australian courts.
American national Keith Hunter pleaded guilty to the charge in June after initially denying the allegations. He and another former CommBank staffer are accused of a "corrupt relationship" with US-based IT firm ServiceMesh, which saw them hand over a lucrative contract without putting it to public tender in exchange for more than $2 million in kickbacks.
Shortly after, ServiceMesh was bought by CSC. Prosecutors say that CSC was misled into paying a performance-related earn out of $98 million on the deal as the $10.5 million CommBank contract triggered the payment.
Hunter will also face charges from the US Department of Justice of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud after any sentence in Australia is served.
His co-accused in the scandal, John Waldron, maintains his innocence and will appear before the courts next year.
CSC is also suing ServiceMesh founder Eric Pulier for the return of the $98 million.