The former chief executive of a group of IT companies has been ordered to stand trial on deception charges.

Following a two-day committal hearing in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that concluded on Tuesday 12 August 2014, magistrate Mr Goldberg committed Peter Mavridis for trial in the County Court of Victoria, which will commence on 21 September 2015.

Mr Mavridis, 42, of Chadstone, Victoria, first appeared before court in April 2014 on 24 charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception, 10 charges of false accounting and one charge of dishonest use of position as a director (refer: 14-079MR).

Mr Mavridis has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

ASIC brought the charges following an investigation into the collapse of the S Central group of companies, which provided information technology services to customers in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

ASIC alleges that Mr Mavridis, who was the S Central chief executive, submitted duplicated and falsely inflated invoices to National Australia Bank (NAB) in order to secure credit in excess of $3 million for companies within the group.

ASIC also alleges that Mr Mavridis falsified other documents that were required by NAB in support of the false invoices that were submitted.

This matter is being prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

Background

In November 2013, the former financial controller of S Central Pty Ltd (in liquidation) was sentenced to 12 months jail, suspended for two years, for falsifying the books of companies in the S Central Group (refer: 13-315MR).