Private secretary of billionaire Judith Neilson refused bail on $1.6m fraud charges

Annalouise Spence allegedly used credit card to make ‘unauthorised purchases of luxury and personal items, including clothing, artwork and jewellery’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The former private secretary of billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson has been charged with dozens of counts of fraud after she allegedly used a business credit card to make more than $1m worth of purchases, including luxury clothing, artwork and jewellery. Annalouise Spence, 50, was refused bail at a local court hearing on Thursday after being charged with 68 counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception. She was arrested on Wednesday morning in Erskineville, in Sydney’s inner west, after officers executed search warrants at the home and a storage unit in Campbelltown, police said. “During the search, officers located and seized luxury handbags, jewellery, clothing, documents and other personal items,” New South Wales police said in a statement. Police said an investigation began in November last year into “alleged fraudulent expense claims made by an employee of a Chippendale business”. Spence allegedly used