A former senior executive at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, has been accused of stealing some AUD 8 million ($5.6 million) from the museum over a six-year period.
According to ArtAsiaPacific, the unnamed former employee allegedly used a work account to purchase smartphones, which he then resold for a profit. Authorities allege that he used his senior position at the museum to conceal the scheme.
The alleged theft began in September 2019 and continued until it was discovered in September 2025. The museum reported the matter to Victoria Police and fired the employee.
Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission later conducted a year-long investigation. The former executive has now been charged with eight offenses: seven counts of theft and one count of misconduct in public office. He is scheduled to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on October 20.
The National Gallery of Victoria, founded in 1861, is Australia’s oldest public art museum. Its collection comprises more than 80,000 works and is valued at AUD 4.8 billion ($3.3 billion), according to ArtAsiaPacific. The collection was reportedly unaffected by the alleged theft.
