Billionaire's secretary is sensationally CHARGED with defrauding her boss - one of Australia's richest women - for years

Published: 02:18, 23 April 2026 | Updated: 02:29, 23 April 2026 The trusted ex-secretary of one of Australia's richest women has been sensationally accused of stealing more than $1 million from her former boss in a case that has rocked Sydney's elite. Annalouise Spence, who worked for philanthropist Judith Neilson, was arrested on Wednesday at her home by heavily armed police following an extended investigation into alleged fraudulent expense claims made by an employee at the Judith Neilson Foundation. It's understood Spence was Neilson's private secretary for eight years. Police allege Spence, 50, used a business credit account to make unauthorised purchases of luxury and personal items — including clothing, artwork and jewellery — between March 2023 and September 2025. 'Following extensive inquiries, yesterday morning investigators executed search warrants at a home in Erskineville, and a storage unit in Campbelltown,' NSW Police confirmed in a statement. 'During the search, officers located and seized luxury handbags, jewellery, clothing, documents and other personal items.' Spence was charged with 68 counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception. During Spence's employment, Neilson, who has an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion, entrusted her with access to her intimate personal and financial details, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Annalouise Spence (pictured with her husband Adam) was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly stealing over $1 million from her former boss Spence (centre) was the private secretary for the billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson (centre, right) - pictured together at a SolidAfrica event in Rwanda The duo worked together for eight years, with Spence believed to have been entrusted with access to Ms Neilson's intimate personal and financial details without oversight Spence is also alleged to have impersonated Neilson, 79, to obtain a supplementary card attached to her Black Amex Card. It was this card she allegedly used to rack up over $1 million in expenses on first-class flights, luxurious hotel stays, designer clothes and bags, jewellery and artwork. Neilson told the publication she did not authorise Spence's card and had no idea Spence had allegedly removed her finance team's oversight of her Amex account. Among the allegations facing Spence is that she used the Amex card to buy a $16,000 piece of art for a male friend, which he then reimbursed to her personal account, $58,593 on a rare pink-gold Rolex wristwatch from the Vintage Watch Company in London and $21,000 had been spent at the luxury department store Harrods. Spence allegedly also billed Neilson's card $38,757.85 for a five-night stay at a New York hotel in October 2023. 'I was sickened and so damned hurt,' Neilson told the publication upon discovering Spence's alleged frauds. It's understood Spence's employment ceased in September 2025 following a 'restructuring' of Ms Neilson's office. It was only when Ms Neilson's new assistant was reconciling her account was when alarm bells started to ring.  Spence allegedly used this Blac Amex card which was linked to Ms Neilson's account, without her knowledge Ms Neilson funded the White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale, Sydney Following her arrest on Wednesday, Spence was taken to Mascot Police Station and spent the night in custody having been refused bail.  Spence will front Bail Division Court 7 today.  NSW Police said the investigation remains ongoing.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.