Last week, Samantha Aitken, Westpac's Head of Risk and Treasury Audit, filed a lawsuit against the bank for allegedly retaliating against her after she raised concerns about fraud and other crimes in its mortgage broking subsidiary, RAMS Home Loans.
Aitken claims that she was bullied by other senior managers, labeled a "troublemaker," and sidelined after she spoke up about potential misconduct by a RAMS franchisee. She was also ordered to remain quiet and prevented from bringing these concerns to regulators, her lawsuit alleges.
In 2023, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority launched investigations into whether RAMS had violated responsible lending guidelines and provided misleading information to customers. Last month, Westpac said it had found evidence of kickbacks, fake tax returns, and falsified company statements, and announced it would close RAMS.
According to Aitken's filing, a Westpac executive encouraged her to get legal advice, but urged her not to put anything in writing. Westpac, Aitken claims, "refused, failed or neglected" to address the bullying she faced from other staff throughout 2022 and 2023.
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