Latest news with #fraudcase
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Woman who lost money to real estate agent Sarah Dougan welcomes fraud sentencing order
A woman who lost money in a Byron Bay real estate fraud case has vowed to be in court when the real estate agent responsible is sentenced. Now living in the United States, former Belle Property Byron Bay director Sarah Dougan lost her appeal to be sentenced remotely after pleading guilty to charges of fraud. The Supreme Court has ordered Dougan to return to Australia. "I am a firm believer that if you commit a crime, then you should pay for it," Robyn Quickenden, a former nurse, said. "I want to look her in the eye." The NSW Department of Fair Trading began investigating Dougan in 2011 after complaints about conveyancing transactions and missing funds. At the time, Dougan was one of the directors and company secretary of Belle Properties Byron Bay (BPBR Pty Ltd) with control of the trust account. An estimated $540,000 was misappropriated from the trust account. Some of that money belonged to Ms Quickenden, who sold her home through the Belle Properties Byron Bay franchise when it was held by Dougan. As a single woman preparing for her retirement, Ms Quickenden said the home was an important asset and the missing funds meant she could not buy another property. "It affected my mental health and was such a struggle because I was on my own and I had to worry about getting the money back," she said. "It changed the trajectory of my life." In 2013, a warrant was issued for Dougan's arrest on fraud charges but she was living in the United States. The NSW Department of Fair Trading has pursued Dougan since, trying to have the former real estate agent return to Australia for sentencing. After pleading guilty in 2020 and 2021, Dougan faces the possibility of a custodial sentence. Dougan was not present at a 2023 hearing, but made an application to attend by audiovisual link from the United States. The application listed personal reasons why the mother of five could not attend the hearing in Australia, including that she is now the CEO of a company in charge of 70 employees. Magistrate Peter Feather dismissed the application, stating: "I am satisfied in the circumstances that I have set out the serious nature of these offences, the fact that there is a real prospect of the accused serving a sentence of imprisonment, that the sentencing will be more conveniently undertaken in a courtroom." A sentence of imprisonment generally starts the day it is imposed. Dougan's absence would mean she could not immediately be taken into custody if she were ultimately given a custodial sentence. In May this year, Dougan appealed the 2023 finding in the Supreme Court, applying a second time to appear by audiovisual link from the United States. Now that appeal has also failed. In a statement, NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann was adamant Ms Dougan should return to Australia to be sentenced. "The defendant pleaded guilty to serious charges involving a significant amount of money being held in trust for consumers, so it is entirely appropriate the sentencing for those offences occurs in NSW in person," she said. According to court documents, in late 2020, Sarah Dougan repaid the Property Services Compensation Fund around $374,000. Ms Quickenden said she was still traumatised by her experiences. "I actually feel sorry for her [Dougan] because she now has children, but I don't think that allows you to walk away and not pay for what you did," Ms Quickenden said. She said her money was eventually returned through the NSW Department of Fair Trading's insurance scheme. When Dougan signed the franchise for Belle Properties Byron Bay, she was well established in the Sydney real estate scene. Group CEO of Belle Properties Peter Hanscomb welcomed the latest court decision. "I am quite happy to see her held to account," Mr Hanscomb said. He said there was no indication of any issues with Dougan when she was first awarded the franchise. "She had been highly recommended by executives of LJ Hooker where she was a representative of their financial services arm for six years," he said. Mr Hanscomb said she only held the franchise for four months before concerns were raised, and he went to Byron Bay to investigate. "Within a week she had been removed from the franchise," he said. Dougan's case is not the only real estate scandal to rock Byron Bay's property market. In 2009, Nicolette van Wijngaarden set out to market high-end luxury properties in the tourist region through the company she founded, Unique Estates. Between 2016 and 2018, Ms van Wijngaarden took client deposits and rent money from trust accounts, estimated to add up to around $3.6 million. In 2019, she faced 15 charges, 10 of which related to dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception. The 44-year-old was sentenced to three years and six months in jail after pleading guilty to fraud.
Globe and Mail
23-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
U.S. Justice Department reaches deal with Boeing to allow planemaker to avoid prosecution
The U.S. Justice Department said on Friday it has struck a deal in principle with Boeing to allow it to avoid prosecution in a fraud case stemming from two fatal 737 MAX plane crashes that killed 346 people. The agreement allows Boeing to avoid being branded a convicted felon and is a blow to families who lost relatives in the crashes and had pressed prosecutors to take the U.S. planemaker to trial. Boeing has agreed to pay an additional $444.5 million into a crash victims' fund that would be divided evenly per crash victim on top of an additional $243.6 million fine. The Justice Department expects to file the written agreement with Boeing by the end of next week.
Al Jazeera
15-05-2025
- Al Jazeera
Tycoon Mike Lynch's yacht toppled by ‘extreme wind', UK investigators say
Investigators in the United Kingdom say a sudden blast of powerful wind was likely behind the capsizing of a superyacht owned by British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, which sank off Sicily last year, killing seven people. Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among those who died when the 56-metre Bayesian overturned in the early hours of August 19. The voyage was meant to be a celebratory outing following Lynch's acquittal in a major fraud case in the United States just two months earlier. In a preliminary report released on Thursday, the UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found that the vessel was 'vulnerable' to strong winds – potentially even less severe than those recorded at the time of the incident. The report noted that this vulnerability was unknown to the yacht's owner and crew, as it had not been documented in the stability guidance available on board. The agency launched its probe because the Bayesian was registered in the UK. However, it acknowledged that access to key evidence remains limited due to an ongoing criminal inquiry by Italian authorities. According to the UK report, the Bayesian had been moved the day before the accident to what was believed to be a safer location in anticipation of thunderstorms. But at about 4:06am local time, with the vessel in a motoring state, sails stowed and the centreboard raised, it was hit by winds exceeding 70 knots (81 mph), which caused it to capsize within seconds. 'You have the wind pushing the vessel over and then you have the stability of the vessel trying to push the vessel back upright again,' said MAIB investigator Simon Graves. 'What our studies found was that the Bayesian may have been vulnerable to high winds, and these winds were likely present at the time of the accident.' Among the other victims were Jonathan and Judy Bloomer – both British nationals – Chris and Neda Morvillo from the US, and Canadian Antiguan chef Recaldo Thomas. Fifteen people survived, including Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares. Efforts to recover the yacht have stalled since May 9, when a diver was killed during the operation. Salvage work resumed on Thursday. Graves said the final report will cover additional factors such as possible escape routes and what took place on board. 'There's still more to uncover,' he said. 'Once we gain access to the yacht itself, we'll be able to paint a fuller picture of the timeline and decisions made.'
Fox News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Taxpayers could be forced to fund Trump foe Letitia James' legal defense if Dem budget item passes
Language in a new budget bill up for a vote later Wednesday evening could put New York taxpayers on the hook for state Attorney General Letitia James' legal fees in a fraud case being brought against her by the Trump administration. Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued her proposed $254 billion budget last week, and the state legislature is set to begin voting on it this week. On Wednesday evening, Republicans and Democrats in the legislature will vote on the draft version of the state operations section of the budget. That section, according to a draft copy provided to Fox News Digital by the state Republican Party, includes language that would compel taxpayers to provide the money for a legal defense fund, that, while James is not named in the bill, would theoretically cover the New York attorney general's legal costs pertaining to fraud allegations brought against her by the Trump administration's Federal Housing Finance Agency. TRUMP FOE LETITIA JAMES LEADING CHARGE ON NEW MULTISTATE LAWSUIT OVER HHS CUTS The draft language, compiled by the Democrat-controlled executive branch, Senate majority and Assembly majority, would set aside $10 million for elected officials in the state to use for their legal defense when the case is in direct response to the official's exercise of their duties. James' attorney, Abbe Lowell, who was obtained for her by the New York State Attorney General's Office, characterized the Trump administration's mortgage fraud claims against James as "political retribution" for her decision to go after Donald Trump over allegations he falsified business documents to obtain favorable business positions. NY AG'S OFFICE HIRES ATTORNEY THAT REPPED HUNTER BIDEN TO DEFEND LETITIA JAMES AGAINST FRAUD ACCUSATIONS According to the draft language of the New York operations budget bill, a state official would be permitted to use money from the legal defense fund if the official has previously had interactions with the U.S. government or a U.S. government official in the course of their official duties. There are additional criteria which would also apply to James, particularly when considering her former case brought against Trump that led to the first ever felony conviction of a U.S. president. The sources who provided the operations budget draft language said it should be made publicly available some time Wednesday. ETHICS COMPLAINT AGAINST LETITIA JAMES CALLS FOR NY STATE COURTS TO INVESTIGATE TRUMP ADMIN FRAUD CLAIMS "Donald Trump promised a vicious revenge tour when he ran in 2024, and he's put Attorney General James at the top of his list, and we're ready to respond to these attacks," a spokesperson for James told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. The spokesperson added that James plans to use both private and public state funds to mount her defense. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Meanwhile, New York GOP Chair Ed Cox told the New York Post that "this is what corruption looks like." "Political insiders rigging the system to protect their own, while hardworking families get shortchanged," Cox accused in a statement to the New York Post. "Tish James used her office to wage partisan lawfare against her political opponents, and now New Yorkers are footing the bill for the consequences."
