Australian pop singer Paulini admitted she was “at rock bottom” when she bribed a government employee to obtain an unrestricted driver’s license, according to court documents.
Paulini Curuenavuli, who shot to fame on Australian idol in 2003, was given a six-month suspended jail term in December after pleading guilty to paying an official $850 for a fake license.
Now, the 35-year-old is appealing the sentence and in a letter obtained by The Daily Telegraph, the singer says escaping a violent relationship and losing her money on a failed record deal caused her “foolish” decision.
“I went through a very traumatic breakup from a tumultuous relationship,” she wrote.
“I am embarrassed to say this was not the first relationship I had been in involving domestic violence and low self-esteem … In addition to the breakdown of my relationship, my failed album release had cost me savings and the relationship with the record label.”
The former star of The Bodyguard musical claims she was at an all-time low in her career “where [her] confidence and finances were equally bleak”.
“I was at rock bottom and couldn’t see a way through it.
“I was completely overwhelmed and did not feel like a role model to my family or fans.
“The lack of a driver’s ¬licence … was yet another layer to my lack of self-worth.”
Curuenavuli determined her decision to bribe the corrupt employee a “quick fix”.
“In haste I made the extremely foolish decision.”
It is alleged the RMS employee, 27-year-old Faletausala Vaifale, was handing out fake licences to more than just Curuenavuli.
In 2016, Vaifale plead guilty to charges of making a false document to influence the exercise of public duty, corruptly receiving a benefit while an agent and dealing with the proceeds of crime, and was sentenced to 12 months home detention.
