The Wollongong Council sex-for-development investigation has wrapped-up, with the corruption watchdog recommending 11 people face prosecution.
However Paul Matters, founder of Wollongong Against Corruption (WAC) said those charged were merely political patsies and the ICAC investigation barely scrtched the surface.
"They were players in this whole scheme, but they will be political fall guys - particularly the four ALP councillors.
"Meanwhile, the instigators and the people who were basically the controllers were walking around the streets of Wollongong this morning laughing at the fact that some people look like they're going to prison while other people are going to the bank."
The so-called sex-for-development scandal spread through five levels of the public service, involving members of the Wollongong council, political donations and the approval of developments.
The senior project officer at the centre of the scandal is now facing a possibility of prison after ICAC recommended Beth Morgan be prosecuted for 27 offences.
She is accused of abusing her position at Wollongong Council to provide favours for developers.
Corrupt findings have been made against 11 people in total, including Frank Vellar and Bullent "Glen" Tabak, two of the developers Ms Morgan assisted.
The ICAC also found former councillors Kiril Jonovski, Zeki Esen and Frank Gigliotti engaged in corrupt conduct by soliciting a political donation from Mr Vellar.
Three of Ms Morgan's superiors, including former manager Joe Scimone, could also be prosecuted for turning a blind eye to the misconduct.
ICAC has made 27 recommendations to prevent corruption at a council level, most of which could apply across the state.