Extraordinary details emerge about Westpac 'top performer' who took cash payments from customers - as he loses unfair dismissal case after scandal rocked bank

By MADELEINE DAMO - WEALTH AND WORKPLACE REPORTER Published: 14:58, 20 July 2026 | Updated: 14:58, 20 July 2026 A senior Westpac lender, who was fired after the bank found he was taking cash payments on the side and seriously breaching eight company policies, has lost an unfair dismissal claim for what he said was a 'sham' sacking. Home lending veteran and top performer Pravin Kumar Malik took his former employer to the Fair Work Commission, accusing the bank of carrying out a 'sham' as retaliation for him exposing 'high level corruption issues'. Malik worked at Westpac's Rockdale branch for 20 years before he was terminated in September 2025 after an internal investigation found he had engaged in serious misconduct, as outlined in the Commission's published decision. Analysts from Westpac's 'Mortgage Origination Investigations' team referred Malik to the bank's General Investigations Unit over concerns about his compliance with responsible home lending practices, the decision said. Investigators soon discovered that in July 2025 a customer unsuccessfully tried to transfer $2000 into a bank account belonging to a company registered in Malik's name, using the transaction reference of 'LOAN'. Two days after the failed transfer attempt, the same customer attended Westpac's Rockdale branch and withdrew $2000 in $100 notes before entering Malik's office, the bank alleged. Later on that same day, Malik allegedly deposited $1,900 in $100 notes into his St George bank account, the FWC's decision said.  Westpac also alleged that a search of Malik's work phone and laptop revealed a separate occasion where a customer had sent $7,500 to another of Malik's registered business accounts. Malik worked at Westpac's Rockdale branch for 20 years before he was terminated in September 2025 after an internal investigation found he had engaged in serious misconduct Malik was terminated for 'serious breaches' of eight different company policies The alleged transaction dated August 4 was accompanied by several messages from the customer seeking confirmation and updates on the process.  Westpac's investigators also alleged to have found messages with an unknown customer asking Malik for money after his loan application was declined; however, no record could be found of Malik having received money from this individual. According to the Tribunal's published decision, Malik was called into a meeting and questioned on several allegations arising from his conduct, which he answered with 'significant inconsistencies'.  Westpac also alleged Malik had breached responsible lending practices on four different occasions by failing to identify indications of 'fraudulent or editable documents' and missing inconsistencies, errors and not questioning discrepancies in loan applications. According to the published decision, Malik was then sent a formal letter detailing 18 pages of allegations and was advised he may face disciplinary action including termination.   In his response, Malik denied accepting a cash payment in his office and said the suggestion of bribery was 'highly objectionable', and there was no conflict of interest in 'personal money business'. Malik conceded there were missing details in loan applications, but explained it was because he was busy and not properly trained, and had no reason to suspect misleading information from any of his applicants due to their 'high level of income'. In his letter he also said the investigation which had been 'going on for nearly 10 months now', and allegations against him constituted 'targeting, bullying and harassment', the published decision said  Malik was a very experienced and high performing employee, the FWC found On September 10, Westpac found on the balance of probabilities that most of the allegations against Malik were substantiated and that his evidence and explanation were inadequate against the findings.   Malik then sent Westpac a worker's compensation certificate, to certify his absence from work as due to being 'highly stressed with the ongoing harassment and targeting at work, especially with the ongoing enquiry which has laid baseless allegations against me'.  On September 19, Malik was terminated for 'serious breaches' of eight different company policies, including the conflict of interest policy, the responsible lending policy, the technology code of use, and code of conduct, the FWC decision said.  His claim for worker's compensation had also been rejected the day before, on the basis of 'reasonable management action'. During the FWC hearing, Malik said both of the customers' cash payments were for tiles they had purchased from his son's business and produced invoices to support this claim. He told the FWC it was entirely coincidental that he happened to be assisting one of the customers in exploring his options for a home loan application.  The FWC rejected this submission by Malik, finding his evidence lacked credibility compared to Westpac's 'logically coherent, detailed evidence'.  Malik also accused Westpac of having 'double standards' by encouraging employees to generate business relationships through their personal networks but not using business relationships to generate personal business. The FWC also rejected Malik's claim that he wasn't properly trained to spot inconsistencies in loan applications, stating he was a 'very experienced high performer', and it could be inferred he knew and understood his obligations. In their published decision, the FWC wrote Malik's conduct was 'careless, even if it was rare that customers would submit fraudulent documents'.  The Commissioner also rejected Malik's argument that his dismissal was a 'sham' to cover up 'high level corruption', an allegation which was based on 'gossip' and not concrete facts or knowledge. Ultimately, the FWC ruled Malik's dismissal was a proportionate response to the conduct, and while the disciplinary process and investigation were not drawn out, they were procedurally fair.