CFMEU in new crisis as officials charged over ‘inside job’ that led to nude photo leak

September 17, 2026 — 4:21pmThe Victorian branch of the CFMEU has been plunged into a fresh crisis amid revelations two serving officials have been charged over the distribution of naked images of the fiancee of a former union organiser falsely accused of assisting authorities.Detectives from Victoria Police’s Taskforce Hawk charged CFMEU organisers Brendan Mizzi and Corey Laux on Thursday after uncovering evidence during raids weeks ago that police will allege shows both union officials illegally distributed the intimate images. Photo: Artwork: Michael HowardThe charging of the pair will almost certainly result in their sacking from the scandal-plagued Victorian branch of the union, given administrator Michael Crosby’s strident comments about the data breach earlier this year.In July, The Age revealed how police suspected unknown CFMEU officials engaged in an “inside job” when they stole a phone belonging to a former CFMEU organiser who had been falsely accused of working with authorities to expose corruption inside the Victorian branch.The former organiser had handed his phone to CFMEU employees prior to resigning from the branch.Rather than the phone being wiped, police suspect figures inside the Victorian CFMEU headquarters downloaded its data and distributed its content to feared members of Melbourne’s underworld and thousands of workers in the building industry.CFMEU organiser Brendan Mizzi.The mass leak, which included intimate images of the ex-organiser’s partner, was seen as being designed to incite reprisals against the former organiser over the inaccurate claim that he was assisting authorities investigating wrongdoing inside the CFMEU.In a statement, police said a 37-year-old St Albans Park man was charged with five counts of distributing an intimate image after a search warrant was executed early on Thursday morning. He was bailed to appear at Geelong Magistrates’ Court in January.CFMEU organiser Corey Laux.Police said a 46-year-old man from Westbury, in Gippsland, was then also arrested and charged with five counts of distributing an intimate image. The man was bailed to appear at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in January.The statement said a 39-year-old Taylor Lakes man was also arrested last week by the cybercrime squad but released pending further inquiries, although police seized a mobile phone, two Tasers and knuckledusters.A 33-year-old Pascoe Vale man was charged the same day with distributing an intimate image and bailed to appear in January.When details of the leak were first published, Crosby, the CFMEU administrator, described those responsible for sharing the phone’s contents as having engaged in appalling and potentially criminal behaviour.On Thursday, the CFMEU said in a statement only that the matter was under investigation.The alleged theft and leaking of the phone data is likely to be examined in the upcoming construction project royal commission, including whether the data was distributed as part of a culture of attacking or intimidating those thought to be co-operating with authorities.Premier Ben Carroll said on Thursday that the government was still examining whether former ministers, including Jacinta Allan and Daniel Andrews, would get taxpayer-funded legal assistance if asked to give evidence at the royal commission.He said the government was also considering funding legal representation for former public servants, and that royal commissioner Chris Kourakis, the Department of Premier and Cabinet and other agencies would have input.“We are working through those issues,” Carroll said. “This is the toughest royal commission in Victoria’s history. Nobody and nothing is off limits.”The royal commission was established after two years of reporting in this masthead into allegations of organised crime infiltration and misconduct within the CFMEU and on the state government’s flagship $109 billion Big Build program.Premier Ben Carroll on Thursday morning. Justin McManus Governments generally pay legal costs incurred by current and former public servants who give evidence at royal commissions. Taxpayers paid more than $1 million to cover the legal costs of Coalition ministers during the robo-debt royal commission, including over $460,000 for former prime minister Scott Morrison.Carroll said decisions on whether the government would fund legal advice would “be taken and made in appropriate course of time and action”, and he had little oversight on the matter as the commission was independent of government.Carroll has repeatedly said the commission will be able to reveal “everything that needs to be uncovered”.He said it was possible hearings would be held during the campaign for the November 28 election.Former South Australian chief justice Chris Kourakis will head the royal commission into corruption on Victorian Big Build worksites.He has also previously promised that cabinet documents would be given to the commission, and not protected under cabinet confidentiality. The federal government this year tried to prevent the antisemitism royal commission from accessing cabinet documents relating to counterterrorism funding by lodging a public interest immunity claim.Cabinet documents are generally considered protected, so ministers can speak freely.But in the case of the antisemitism inquiry, royal commissioner Virginia Bell overruled the government’s attempt to withhold the documents.When establishing the royal commission on August 20, Carroll confirmed he would ensure no cabinet documents and briefs would be protected from the royal commission.“Our intention is to give the royal commissioner every power, every resource he needs ... nothing is off limits,” he said.Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.From our partners