Ex-KPMG partner sues over unpaid entitlements lawsuit
- Former KPMG Australia COO Eileen Hoggett has filed a Supreme Court lawsuit against the firm following her expulsion over an audit document scandal.
- The legal action aims to recover millions of dollars in stripped partner entitlements and unpaid leave after her immediate termination.
- Regulators at ASIC are investigating potential misconduct by former KPMG auditors alongside broad reviews into accounting firm transparency standards.
Former KPMG Australia COO Eileen Hoggett has launched legal action against the accounting firm in the Supreme Court of New South Wales following her expulsion over alleged confidential document misuse.
The legal action follows an internal investigation that led to the resignation of multiple senior executives after allegations surfaced regarding the misuse of insider client data to secure auditing contracts.
“I was out walking one morning, and I received a call from the CEO, who advised that I was being expelled,” said former KPMG Australia COO Eileen Hoggett.
The expulsion stripped Hoggett of her accrued annual leave, final monthly pay, and a discretionary retirement payment that could have yielded millions of dollars under the partnership deed.
The legal dispute occurs alongside broader regulatory scrutiny from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission into suspected auditor misconduct and handling of whistleblower reports.
ASIC stated that its investigation into the audit transparency report disclosures remains well progressed while the regulator seeks expanded oversight powers across major accounting firms.
