A union staffer used union credit cards on a spending spree buying lavish nights out, gifts and personal treats and channelled false salaries into her own bank account, the trade unions royal commission has heard.
Danielle O'Brien, the niece of National Union of Workers (NUW) NSW secretary Derrick Belan, broke down repeatedly as she was confronted with purchases she made using her union credit card and cards in other officers' names while working as the branch's accounts manager.
"Oh my God, oh this looks bad," a sobbing Ms O'Brien said as she was presented with thick files detailing her spending.
The royal commission is probing suspicious credit card transactions, possible embezzlement and other payments in the NSW NUW, which was headed by Mr Belan until his resignation in October.
Ms O'Brien bought a $2719 corporate box for the 2013 A-League grand final at Mr Belan's request, using a credit card in the name of a union official who no longer worked at the union, the commission heard.
She also bought a $1600 corporate package for the 2013 "Monster Jam" monster truck show in Sydney and went along with her children, her uncle Derrick and other officials.
Also on Ms O'Brien's list were toys from Big W including and songs from iTunes including a Crazy Frog rendition of "I Like To Move It".
Ms O'Brien said Mr Belan had given her permission to use her union Mastercard for iTunes purchases, although not "whatever I wanted".
She also had his permission to book a $448 deluxe room at the Rydges Sydney Central hotel for the union's 2014 Christmas party - something other officials were allowed to do, she said.
The commission is also investigating purchases on Mr Belan's corporate credit cards including Tiffany jewellery, cameras, Lego, perfume, a tattoo and $2,271 in dating website fees.
Mr Belan's corporate cards were also used to pay sums of $2,500, $3,000 and $4,000 into Ms O'Brien's PayPal account, the commission heard.
Ms O'Brien said Mr Belan asked her to use the money to pay his personal bills, such as phone, credit card and child support payments.
Ms O'Brien became more distressed when shown a series of salary records in which she issued pays of thousands of dollars in other employees' names and sent them to her own bank account, in addition to her own $85,000 salary.
Asked why she did it, Ms O'Brien said she didn't know.
"I'm from a poor family and I must have thought that I needed it," she said.
Mr Belan did not appear before the commission on Wednesday after his barrister revealed he was in a Sydney psychiatric hospital and sought to be excused.
His application was rejected and he will appear on Thursday.
Nearly $600,000 was charged to Mr Belan's union American Express card between 2009 and 2015, the commission heard, plus more than $84,000 to his corporate Mastercard.
The commission does not suggest all the expenditure was suspicious or improper.
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