Latest news with #NSWFairTrading
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Gaudy lifestyle of controversial real estate agent who drives a $300,000 luxury car and boasts a $15million property empire - as three-year probe into alleged underquoting draws near
High-flying real estate agent Josh Tesolin may be under investigation by NSW Fair Trading, but he hasn't let that put a dampener on his lavish lifestyle. Despite the official scrutiny, Tesolin remains one of Australia's highest-performing agents, reportedly raking in $9million in commissions over the past financial year. Tesolin isn't just a top-selling real estate agent – he and his wife, Sophia, have amassed a property portfolio estimated at more than $15million. This includes a four-bedroom home in Bella Vista, purchased for $2.3million in July 2021, and a five-bedroom house in Rozelle, which sold for $2.2million in 2024. Tesolin also owns two investment properties on the outskirts of Brisbane, acquired for a combined $789,000. He drives a Bentley Bentayga, which start at around $395,800, and has a penchant for Gucci and Louis Vuitton loafers, which retail for $1,600 and $1,700 respectively. Tesolin is also known for his flashy custom suits, including a jacket lined with images of homes he seemingly had a hand in selling, worn at a conference in New Zealand. And on the agent's wrist? A Rolex Day-Date, known as the 'President' model thanks to its association with global power players, which start at around $62,000. The Rolex was made famous by US Presidents like Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Donald Trump, as well as cultural icons Michael Jordan, Jay-Z, and Warren Buffett. Tesolin is also known for gifting luxury timepieces to his staff to mark milestones. One post on social media shows the agent gifting a sales agent a rose gold Rolex, estimated to be valued at over $50,000. In another, a watch worth an estimated $35,000 was handed out. Tesolin, who regularly wears colourful socks, has previously joked that the cartoon patterns help him stay 'relatable' to his clients. 'Vendors often judge agents from the outside - assuming we're arrogant or overly serious - but when I show up in Gucci shoes, a custom suit, and socks with flying pigs, it breaks the ice, makes me more approachable, and shows I don't take myself too seriously,' he told the One Life Club podcast in January, 2024. In 2021, Tesolin was awarded the Number 1 Agent in Australia by RateMyAgent, a title he secured four years in a row, from 2020 to 2023. His wife is listed as the office manager at Ray White Quakers Hill in Sydney's northwest, where Josh is the owner and principal. Daily Mail Australia in April revealed Tesolin and his agency were at the centre of a NSW Fair Trading investigation into underquoting and complaints. The agent publicly acknowledged the investigation for the first time in a podcast interview with disgraced agent Adrian Bo. 'What are we being investigated for? Fair Trading came in, asked for files, we complied with the regulator,' Tesolin said. 'Anything the regulator has asked, whether it be 500 files... three files... we have completely complied with the regulator at every single stage.' A Fair Trading spokesperson last week confirmed the investigation was ongoing. 'The Strata and Property Services Taskforce within NSW Fair Trading is investigating Quakers Hill Ray White Real Estate and Josh Tesolin following proactive compliance blitzes into underquoting and complaints,' they said. 'As this investigation is ongoing, no further comment is available at this time.' The inquiry is expected to wrap up in the coming weeks. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Tesolin has engaged in underquoting, only that his agency is the subject of an active investigation.
The Age
02-07-2025
- The Age
Goblin doll Labubu's evil twin contaminating Australian supply, authorities warn
If you find the viral goblin-like collectible doll, Labubu, distasteful, then you haven't yet met its mutated sidekick, Lafufu. The counterfeits are so scary that on Tuesday, NSW Fair Trading issued a warning to Australian consumers about Lafufus, telling shoppers to beware. Via its Facebook account, Fair Trading warned consumers that Lafufu – the nickname given to Labubu counterfeits, which look like a worse-off version of the furry elf doll – have infiltrated the Australian market of Labubus. 'Labubu toys are all the rage right now – but beware, some online sellers are tricking shoppers with counterfeit Lafufu [fake Labubu] products or not delivering at all,' the warning read. It told collectors to look out for the Lafufus' disfigured ears spread far apart from each other, and to count the number of its teeth (if there are more or fewer than nine fangs), which it also said may be 'poorly shaped'. Labubu, a helpful elf-like monster, was created in 2015 by a Belgium-based artist from Hong Kong, Kasing Lung. Labubu was one of several monsters illustrated by Lung for three children's books based on Nordic folklore. Loading While the original Labubu is already off-putting to many, its evil twin can be told apart by its frequently mangled features. Some Lafufus' heads can be removed from their furry bear suits, others' faces are completely upside-down. Some Lafufus are even more sought after than the originals they are mocking. Part of the Labubu hype derives from their packaging in 'blind boxes', meaning buyers can't see which Labubu they get before they buy them. The rarity of some colours and special editions keeps customers buying more, but also makes it harder to detect when one is fake before taking it home. Fair Trading advised collectors to limit their purchases to legitimate businesses and to beware of overseas websites offering Labubus at 'suspiciously low prices'. It added that scam stores could be reported on the Fair Trading website.
Sydney Morning Herald
02-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Goblin doll Labubu's evil twin contaminating Australian supply, authorities warn
If you find the viral goblin-like collectible doll, Labubu, distasteful, then you haven't yet met its mutated sidekick, Lafufu. The counterfeits are so scary that on Tuesday, NSW Fair Trading issued a warning to Australian consumers about Lafufus, telling shoppers to beware. Via its Facebook account, Fair Trading warned consumers that Lafufu – the nickname given to Labubu counterfeits, which look like a worse-off version of the furry elf doll – have infiltrated the Australian market of Labubus. 'Labubu toys are all the rage right now – but beware, some online sellers are tricking shoppers with counterfeit Lafufu [fake Labubu] products or not delivering at all,' the warning read. It told collectors to look out for the Lafufus' disfigured ears spread far apart from each other, and to count the number of its teeth (if there are more or fewer than nine fangs), which it also said may be 'poorly shaped'. Labubu, a helpful elf-like monster, was created in 2015 by a Belgium-based artist from Hong Kong, Kasing Lung. Labubu was one of several monsters illustrated by Lung for three children's books based on Nordic folklore. Loading While the original Labubu is already off-putting to many, its evil twin can be told apart by its frequently mangled features. Some Lafufus' heads can be removed from their furry bear suits, others' faces are completely upside-down. Some Lafufus are even more sought after than the originals they are mocking. Part of the Labubu hype derives from their packaging in 'blind boxes', meaning buyers can't see which Labubu they get before they buy them. The rarity of some colours and special editions keeps customers buying more, but also makes it harder to detect when one is fake before taking it home. Fair Trading advised collectors to limit their purchases to legitimate businesses and to beware of overseas websites offering Labubus at 'suspiciously low prices'. It added that scam stores could be reported on the Fair Trading website.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
New blow for disgraced real estate agent who fled Australia after $500,000 fraud
A former real estate agent director who misused half a million dollars of her company's money has been refused lost her appeal to appear before court remotely. Australian born Sarah Dougan, who lives in the US, pleaded guilty in 2020 and 2021 to fraudulent offences carried out while working as a director for Belle Property Byron Bay in far northern NSW. But last week, the NSW Supreme Court refused her appeal to appear for sentencing via an audio visual link, requiring her to return to Australia to attend in person. It follows a failure to appear in Parramatta Court in November 2023. The case followed NSW Fair Trading investigation in 2011 into the agency over complaints the business failed to 'account at settlement' when transferring ownership of a property. The court heard that Dougan provided investigators with false NAB statements for two trust accounts. They then discovered in June that year that $534,320.99 was missing from the trusts. NSW Fair Trading launched legal proceedings in 2013 over the offences, a year after Ms Dougan moved to the US. The court also heard that the former real estate agent was only made aware of the charges against her 'some time after May 2017' while applying for permanent residency. Since moving to the US, Dougan has rebuilt a new life as a chief executive of a medical testing lab, got married, raised five children, and now lives in a multimillion-dollar mansion. 'No one knew there was a warrant to issue,' Dougan's lawyer Omar Juweinat told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday. At Paramatta Local Court in 2020 and 2021, Dougan pleaded guilty to offences which included the misappropriation of client funds and the creation of false documents to conceal that misappropriation. The court also heard that she paid at least $373,917 to the Property Services Compensation Fund in 2020. But the former real estate agent did not appear for sentencing in 2023 and a magistrate refused to sentence her by audio visual link. Dougan launched a leave to appeal at NSW Supreme Court, requesting the decision stopping her from appearing remotely to be overturned The request was refused last week and she was ordered to pay court costs. The consumer watchdog is determined to bring Dougan to justice. 'It is entirely appropriate the sentencing for those offences occurs in NSW in person,' NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann told Daily Mail Australia. 'NSW Fair Trading has patiently waited to bring this matter to a conclusion. 'Our persistence sends a clear message to real estate agents of how seriously the regulator takes cases where there has been a complete disregard for industry rules.' Dougan's appeal to have a previous warrant issued for her arrest quashed was successful after the Supreme Court ruled that it had been made by mistake. She was not formally convicted in 2023 and, as such, the recorded warrant in the JusticeLink was 'entered erroneously', the court judgement read. 'Dougan's appeal was partly successful,' Mr Juweinat said, referencing the ruling on the mistaken warrant. 'But unfortunately the parties are now asking the High Court to determine a question of law as to whether a defendant is an absent defendant if they are appearing in court remotely.' Daily Mail Australia understands that the case to the High Court is in the process of being filed.
The Age
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Apartment owners jubilant as dodgy strata manager banned for life
A controversial strata manager who hired six burly security guards to prevent some apartment owners from attending their own AGM has become the first to be struck off for life. Michael Lee, general manager of strata company Result Strata, has also been hit with the maximum fine allowable of $11,000 in addition to his disqualification from holding a licence by NSW Fair Trading. His company also had its licence cancelled and was fined the maximum $22,000. After a long-running investigation into their activities, Fair Trading officials found that, under Lee's direction, the company had failed to disclose conflicts of interest, consistently breached rules of conduct, charged fees for services not rendered, and failed to ensure owners' properties complied with critical fire and safety obligations. In addition, it hadn't provided information to owners when required, acted contrary to instructions given at general meetings, and failed to make sure a building had adequate insurance cover. As a result, he had become what they believed to be the first strata manager banned for life. Michael Lee was contacted for comment. Loading Fair Trading commissioner Natasha Mann said in a statement to this masthead: 'NSW Fair Trading is committed to strong, visible enforcement to protect consumers and this action sends a clear message that poor conduct in the property sector will not be tolerated. 'Through our dedicated Strata and Property Services Taskforce and ongoing reforms, standards and protections are being lifted and strengthened for the more than 1.2 million people who live in strata communities.' One jubilant apartment owner who had campaigned against Lee's reign over his building in Sutherland said he was thrilled that the government had acted so decisively to free so many residents from the 'diabolical clutches of such a terrible player.'
