Man Charged Over Missing Fruits and Vegetables
Mr Anthony Francis McEwan appeared before the Cairns Magistrates Court on the 23rd of January, along with his solicitor Alex Jones and defence barrister Angus Edwards. Mr McEwan is accused of defrauding funds from food wholesaler Simon George and Sons whilst he was a manager.
It is alleged the Mr McEwan pretended to supply produce to Simon George and Sons under two different trading names over a period of tens years. The estimated cost of this alleged fraud is $1.6 million.
Mr Edwards stressed that the charges were inappropriate if his client was providing produce.
“My client says he was buying cash-in-hand produce from growers…if my client was providing fruit … it may not have been appropriate and outside his contract because he was manager, and had another business on the side. But it would be a contractual issue and not a criminal issue”