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Singer Paulini Pleads Guilty To Licence Bribery Charges

She has been charged with paying $850 to a Roads and Maritime worker for a fake drivers' licence.
Australian singer Paulini is in court on Monday facing bribery charges.
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Australian singer Paulini is in court on Monday facing bribery charges.

Australian singer Paulini has pleaded guilty to bribing a government official to obtain a fake drivers' licence.

The singer, who is currently starring in the musical The Bodyguard, appeared in Sydney's Mount Druitt Local Court on Monday to enter her guilty plea.

She was charged with paying a NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) worker $850 in exchange for an unrestricted licence despite not being qualified to drive, Fairfax Media reports.

Singer Paulini arrives at court over fake driver's licence bribery charge @em_partridge@dailytelegraphpic.twitter.com/Q7VHQCV0J0

— The Daily Telegraph (@dailytelegraph) September 4, 2017

Paulini Curuenavuli shot to fame in 2003 after appearing on the first season of Australian Idol alongside Guy Sebastian and Shannon Noll.

The offence carries a maximum seven-year jail term, but the singer's guilty plea means she is unlikely to face a lengthy sentence.

She was charged on June 30 following an investigation into the RMS employee she allegedly bribed.

The employee, Faletausala Vaifale, was sentenced to one year home detention for giving out 46 fake licences, including some to outlaw motorbike members.

Vaifale reportedly made $34,582 through the fake licences, according to the Daily Telegraph.

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