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The former deputy chief executive of a Mid West council has been granted bail days after being charged with dozens of new offences following his dismissal from the local government for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from their coffers.
Sam Curulli, 27, has been charged with a raft of offences relating to his time as the Shire of Coorow deputy chief executive, including fraud, corruption, and stealing between May and December 2025.
At the time, police said Curulli used expense accounts to obtain items for his own personal benefit, and also sold some of the ordered products, pocketing the money for himself.
New charges were also laid against Curulli late last week, relating to allegedly possessing drugs and supplying methylamphetamine.
He appeared in Perth Magistrates Court via video link on Tuesday, where he applied for bail in the new charges.
Curulli was granted bail on the new charges, but police asked new conditions were imposed on him as a result of his release.
He was ordered not to contact the Shire of Coorow or any of its employees aside from his father-in-law, who happens to be councillor Gene Haddington.
The 27-year-old has a $50,000 personal undertaking as part of his bail, and his mother has paid his surety.
He also has an order not to contact Mia Maxfield, who was recently reinstated as chief executive officer after the council voted to terminate her contract at a council meeting earlier this month.
A number of councillors had previously attempted to resign about the same time as Maxfield’s attempted firing, and the decision was ultimately reversed.
She has now been suspended with pay. WAtoday is not accusing Maxfield of any wrongdoing.
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