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Annalouise Spence, who has been charged with defrauding her former boss, billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson, of more than $1.6 million, has been refused bail.
Sitting alone in a small room in the Surry Hills police station for her hearing, the former secretary, wearing a Lorna Jane diamond-pattern sweater and grey tracksuit pants, appeared to be fighting back tears upon hearing she would remain in custody.
Describing the strength of the case against her as “overwhelming” with the likelihood of a custodial sentence if convicted, Local Court Judge Lucas Swan refused to grant Spence bail.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Ashlee Uren had argued that Spence was accused of a “large-scale financial crime” and that there was a risk she would fail to appear or interfere with witnesses and evidence.
Appearing via an audiovisual link, Spence’s face was dominated by oversized glasses, with her blond hair pulled back tightly in a bun. The 50-year-old listened as her solicitor Bryan Wrench reeled off the “shopping list” of medications she was taking.
Wrench said that late last year Spence had been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder. He also said she had spent a month at St John of God Hospital in November 2025.
The court heard that the former secretary was arrested on Wednesday while out walking her dog. “There were about 20 riot squad police at her place, which we describe as totally unnecessary,” Wrench said.
He was referring to the police raid at Spence’s Erskineville house, during which they seized 115 items including artwork, jewellery, designer shoes, luxury handbags and monogrammed Louis Vuitton trunks.
Wrench told the court that “we had to subscribe to The Sydney Morning Herald” to find out what was happening.
Spence has been charged with 68 counts of dishonestly obtain property by deception.
In March 2023, Spence is alleged to have impersonated Neilson to obtain a supplementary card attached to her boss’s Centurion American Express card, better known as a Black Amex.
Over the next two years, Spence is alleged to have used the Black Amex to spend over $1.6 million on first-class travel, extravagant hotel stays, designer clothes, accessories, jewellery and artwork.
Police will allege that Neilson, one of the most influential figures in the Australian arts and philanthropic worlds, did not authorise Spence’s supplementary card, and she had no idea that Spence had allegedly removed her finance team’s oversight of her Amex account.
Neilson’s former secretary was employed by Neilson for eight years until September 2025 when the well-known philanthropist restructured her Chippendale office.
On one occasion, in October 2023, Spence is alleged to have racked up a bill of more than $38,000 for a five-night stay with a male friend at ritzy New York hotel The Carlyle.
In September 2024, Spence is alleged to have treated herself to $23,000 worth of shoes and clothes from the ultra-luxury designer brand Loro Piana. A week later, Amex records reveal another $30,000 had been spent at online store Mytheresa.
Police were alerted to Spence’s alleged frauds when Neilson’s new personal assistant, Katy Lloyd Jones, was reconciling Neilson’s Amex account last September. She noticed that on July 19, 2025, $58,593 had been spent on a rare pink-gold Rolex wristwatch at the Vintage Watch Company in London.
Police were told that alarm bells were ringing because in the brief time Lloyd Jones had spent with her new boss, she knew Neilson “doesn’t wear any jewellery and she definitely doesn’t wear expensive watches,” she told this masthead.
As she scanned the Amex account, Lloyd Jones saw that two days after the antique watch purchase, $21,000 had been spent at the luxury Knightsbridge department store Harrods.
It will be alleged Neilson was not in London at the time.
At her bail hearing on Thursday afternoon, Spence’s solicitor said that she had repaid $840,000 and that $20,000 would be deposited as security for bail.
“It is irrelevant that she repaid the funds,” said the judge, adding that would be better saved for sentencing submissions.
The matter will return to court on May 7.
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