A property developer and former local councillor have been charged after a state corruption watchdog exposed alleged secret payments.
The charges stem from the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission's long-running Operation Sandon probe into developer John Woodman and Casey council in outer Melbourne.
The five-year investigation found Casey councillors Sameh Aziz and Geoff Ablett accepted almost $1.2 million in payments to promote Mr Woodman and his client's interests.
An unnamed councillor has been charged with five offences, including one count of receiving secret commissions and two counts each of misconduct in public office and misuse of position.
The consultant for the property developer industry, also unnamed, has been charged with giving secret commissions.
They are expected to face Melbourne Magistrates Court on September 25.
The IBAC probe centred on four planning proposals involving Mr Woodman and his clients, including one to rezone land in Cranbourne West as residential to increase its value.
Mr Woodman fought the release of the investigation's final report, which made 34 recommendations, through the courts.
Days after its release in July 2023, Mr Woodman and Mr Aziz launched a colourful defence in an eccentric 90-minute press conference plagued by technical difficulties.
The address involved snippets from a silent film, a poster stating "something is rotten in the state of IBAC", in reference to a line from Shakespeare's Hamlet, and a video of a football bouncing across an NRL pitch.
Mr Woodman denied bribing any Casey councillors and said there was nothing improper about donating to political parties as long as there was nothing expected in return.
Mr Aziz spent much of the presentation clicking through slides for Mr Woodman before saying he did not accept bribes and would defend any allegations against him.
He admitted he regretted once paying cash to Mr Woodman in a suitcase but insisted it was connected to an investment scheme, and he received interest on the money.
