Corrupt Commonwealth executive who accepted $2.8MILLION in kickbacks learns his fate

A disgraced Commonwealth Bank IT executive has been jailed after taking bribes worth the equivalent of $2.8million.

Jon Waldron, 53, was sentenced to a maximum of six years and eight months behind bars in the NSW District Court on Friday.

Waldron was found guilty in May by the court of seven charges of corruptly receiving $US1.9million as a reward for helping American IT firm, ServiceMesh, secure two large contracts with CBA.

Waldron, the former general manager of IT infrastructure engineering, had received the millions of dollars without the knowledge of his employer. 

He was also found guilty on three counts of aiding and abetting his co-accused, Keith Hunter. Hunter was jailed for three years in 2016.

Waldron, a New Zealand national, was sacked from CBA in 2014 after investigators at the bank discovered he had received suspicious payments into his account.

Waldron had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges and Judge Phillip Mahony said the 53-year-old showed ‘no remorse for his offending’.

‘The offender has continued to protest his innocence and has appealed his convictions,’ Justice Mahony said. 

Judge Mahony said Waldron has not made any progress in his rehabilitation, and was focused on how his offence only impacted him financially and emotionally, not the wider community.

‘Notwithstanding that, I accept that he is at a low risk of reoffending given that it is unlikely he will be able to obtain employment in any position of trust in the future,’ Judge Mahony said. 

Waldron will be eligible for parole on July 13, 2028. 

In his role, Waldron was in charge of 250 staff and managed a budget of $740million. 

Principal shareholder at ServiceMesh, Eric Pulier, has denied any wrongdoing. 

Commonwealth Bank was unaware that Waldron had received the money to help the IT firm secure major contracts (stock image)