According to the Australian Federal Police, the two Sydney men, Paul Issa, 21, and Phillip Issa, 25, were charged in May with accessing restricted banking data without authorisation.
Authorities did not officially identify the federal politician involved, but multiple media reports said the data belonged to Prime Minister Albanese.
“As the matter is before the court, no further comment will be made,” Australian Federal Police (AFP) told Reuters. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) said, “It is not appropriate for us to comment on individual contractor matters.”
The employees had joined EY earlier this year and were temporarily working at Commonwealth Bank on a technology project when the alleged breach took place, reported The Independent.
This type of temporary assignment is called a secondment, where an employee works at another organisation for a specific project while remaining employed by their original company. They were later fired by EY, the report added.
Paul Issa faces an additional charge because investigators allege he used a phone, computer or another electronic communication device to share someone’s personal information in a way that could reasonably be seen as threatening, intimidating or harassing the people involved.
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the allegations are ‘incredibly concerning.’ Chalmers said the issue is serious not only because it involves the Prime Minister, but because every Australian’s personal banking information should be protected.
“But I think on the face of it any developments of that kind are incredibly concerning, not just in relation to the PM’s details but any Australians’ details,” Chalmers said.
“In general, that’s what I would say about that. I assume that there are now legal and other processes to play out, and I don’t want to get in the way of those,” he added.
The two were bailed after being charged in March and were due to appear in court in Sydney on Tuesday.
The incident comes at a time when another major accounting firm, KPMG, is facing an audit leak scandal.
