The alleged mastermind of a multimillion-dollar kickback scandal, who had been on the run from police for four months, has admitted that he started engaging in improper arrangements with road contractors as far back as 2012 when he was part of a government agency’s graduate program.

After he was escorted in handcuffs into a public hearing on Tuesday, sacked Transport for NSW official Ibrahim Helmy, 38, conceded that he had received cash and other benefits from contractors, including cryptocurrency.

Under questioning, Helmy said on one occasion during the Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing that he did not request payment or benefits from contractors, saying, “I wasn’t asking to be paid – it just happened.”

However, a short time later he conceded that he first sought or rec

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