In an interlocutory application obtained by GoAuto, FCA Australia is seeking to broaden the case to include Ms Johns as a respondent in its case against Mr Campbell. The application will be heard at the directions hearing on September 18.
The Federal Court application also states that FCA Australia seeks leave to file and serve a ‘Further Amended Statement of Claim’.
Ms Johns was named in the original statement of claim filed in May this year, in which Mr Campbell was accused of misusing more than $30 million of company funds during his time as chief executive of Chrysler Group Australia (now known as FCA Australia) between October 2010 and May 2013.
FCA Australia alleged in its original filing that three cars earmarked for use as prizes or to be donated to charities were purchased from Chrysler Jeep dealer Motorworld Australia and redirected to other people, one of which was Ms Johns’ husband Gregory Hede.
The charities and organisations accepting the prize cars included the Shane Warne Foundation, the Prostate Cancer Gala Dinner Fundraiser and the NRL St George Illawarra Dragons. The other two cars allegedly went to a company called Domato Pty Ltd and Mr Mitchell Knight.
The court documents state that Mr Knight is the principal of a company that trades as Madok Group, and of Domato. Between 2012 and 2014, FCA Australia said it paid Madok Group $3.1 million, which Fairfax Media reported was for renovations to the car-maker’s Port Melbourne office.
That company also conducted work in 2012-2013 on Ms Johns and Mr Hede’s home which was allegedly charged to FCA Australia, after Ms Johns requested that Mr Knight invoice the car-maker.
Mr Knight allegedly sold his vehicle back to City Chrysler Jeep Dodge in September 2013 for $80,000, which was more than its approximate value of $60,000. FCA Australia alleged in the lawsuit that Ms Johns agreed for the car company to provide $20,000 of the repurchase price.
Ms Johns became the first Australian woman to lead a car-maker in this country when in 2013 she took over the role of CEO from Mr Campbell, who left the company to head up the New Zealand distribution for Fiat Chrysler brands with his then business partner, Ateco Automotive owner Neville Crichton.
Mr Campbell has since parted ways with the NZ-based business, prior to the FCA allegations against him going public.
Ms Johns resigned her position in October last year, saying at the time that she was cutting her career short to care for her father.
Since she was appointed the sales director of the car-maker in 2010, sales of the group’s brands – which include Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and, since 2012, Fiat and Alfa Romeo – rose from 10,000 units to nearly 42,000 units last year.
Following a possible further resubmission of the statement of claim, a directions hearing is set for September 18 at the Federal Court of Melbourne, while a trial is likely to take place next year.
By Tim Nicholson
Included: Former FCA Australia CEO Veronica Johns has been included in the lawsuit against her predecessor Clyde Campbell.
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