Court documents draw links in former ATO assistant commissioner’s case

Although the indictments list Sunshine Commercial Interiors Pty Ltd, there is no previous mention of this entity, with the only similarly named entity being Sunshine Property Investment Group Pty Ltd in the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (ICAC) October 2022 report into its investigation Operation Skyline.

Operation Skyline investigated activity between 2014 and 2016, when Petroulias was involved in alleged criminal offences with the three co-accused: Despina Bakis, former deputy chairperson of the Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council (ALALC) board Robert Green, and former ALALC chairperson Debbie Date.

It involved the sale and development of properties owned by the ALALC, as found in the ICAC report. 

The court attendance notices were listed as being issued on 11 June 2026. It showed that Petroulias was charged with dishonestly causing financial disadvantage by deception for Sunshine Commercial Interiors Pty Ltd on three alleged separate occasions, totalling $1,012,000.

In addition, the notices revealed that Petroulias’ nine charges were for alleged conduct against Sunshine Commercial Interiors Pty Ltd, Solstice Property Corporation Pty Ltd, Jun Zhang and Dandan Ren, and Lorentz Pty Ltd.

Solstice Property Corporation Pty Ltd was deregistered on 17 March 2026, and the documents revealed that Petroulias also allegedly attempted to cause financial disadvantage to Lorentz Pty Ltd, a solar water pump manufacturer, and created a false document with the intention of obtaining financial advantage from it. Lorentz Pty Ltd’s company registration was deregistered on 20 May 2026.

In total, the quantum of the financial disadvantage that Petroulias was charged with was $1.262 million according to the documents.

According to ICAC’s report, Tony Zong, director at Sunshine Property Investment Group Pty Ltd, drew a $250,000 cheque on 23 October 2015, and a $50,000 cheque on 26 October 2015 in favour of Petroulias’ company Gows Heat Pty Ltd, which were deposited into the company’s account shortly later.

Further, it noted that Zong paid $512,000 into the account of Knightsbridge North Lawyers (Bakis’ law firm) on 26 October 2015, followed by a further payment of $200,000 to the firm on 3 December 2015.

“The $712,000 paid by Sunshine into the Knightsbridge North Lawyers trust account (across the two payments on 26 October 2015 and 3 December 2015) represented the option fee payable by Sunshine to the ALALC,” the report found.

These payments coincide with the court documents that Accountants Daily viewed, listed under charges against Petroulias for dishonestly causing financial disadvantage by deception.

On 20 March 2019, Petroulias submitted an application to the commission for it to discontinue Operation Skyline on the grounds that “the real purpose behind the inquiry is to improperly cause damage to his reputation and the reputation of Ms Bakis”.

The commission rejected this submission and dismissed the application.

On 23 July, Petroulias and Bakis appeared at Sydney Downing Centre for a mention, which confirmed that a brief will be served on 17 September, when the matter will be listed for further mention (committal).