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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.'
Sydney Morning Herald
14-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
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.'
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Married At First Sight's Brent Vitiello lashes out at critics amid wellness brand scandal as furious customers accuse him of running a 'scam' - but fails to take responsibility
Once a fan favourite, Brent Vitiello is now at the centre of an explosive scandal - and his latest statement may only pour fuel on the fire. The former Married At First Sight groom, 36, has broken his silence to Daily Mail Australia after months of mounting pressure over his controversial wellness brand Mos X Daily, which has been slammed by dozens of customers for allegedly taking their money and delivering nothing in return. But rather than apologising or offering compensation, Vitiello dismissed the backlash as 'the same story, same complaints' - insisting he will 'fix it' in his own time. Despite a public warning issued by NSW Fair Trading in March advising Australians not to deal with his company, and 45 official complaints lodged over undelivered goods and poor communication, Vitiello remains defiant. Vitiello did not acknowledge, however, the growing number of Aussies who say they've waited up to six months for their orders - with many claiming they never received a single update, let alone a refund. Even now, the Mos X Daily website is live and accepting payments, despite NSW Fair Trading urging consumers to steer clear. The government body has also questioned the brand's supposed charitable donations, saying it has 'not been substantiated' whether any funds were transferred to the One Dollar One Dream foundation. And while Vitiello told Pedestrian TV in March that his company had fulfilled '30,000 orders for free' and was dealing with a backlog due to production challenges in Timor-Leste, furious buyers dispute this. Nursing student Ms Watt told Daily Mail Australia she made an order in late 2024 and has still not received anything. Meanwhile, Gold Coast-based mother of two Christy Miranda said that she has been waiting seven months since she paid the brand $130. 'He was short, rude, unapologetic which shocked me at how uncaring and unprofessional he was...' she explained. 'Brent just didn't care, had a go at me and blocked me.' When approached for comment about Christy's claims, Brent told Daily Mail Australia: 'I don't read any of these things or watch any videos. It doesn't change the outcome.' Vitiello insists he's too busy to engage with the criticism. But for many customers, the 'noise' is no longer just online chatter - it's a call for accountability. A Facebook group dedicated to Mos X Daily complaints now has hundreds of members sharing nearly identical stories: money paid, orders unfulfilled, and communication dead @chelseamcshane12 SCAM ALERT🚨 Grab a cup of tea because this is a long one!☕️ (And yes, you'll want the tea for this one, trust me.)😂 I'm not even going to tag the brand because I know this will likely get reported or taken down. But honestly, this has been a long time coming, and I have to share my experience and clearly a LOT of other people's too. The sea moss brand that scammed me and so many others. I'm still getting comments under my old post from people saying it's happened to them to this day! A year later🤯🤯 I've ordered products & work with brands and this is just awful service stealing from your customers is not right… to this day we have never been refunded & tbh couldn't care less says a lot more about the brand itself! If this helps one person avoid this, then sharing this is 100% worth it. Please repost so more people are aware! be so careful of this brand when shopping online🚨🚨 #ScamAlert #FraudAwareness #SeaMossScam #StaySafeOnline #fyp #scamawareness #scam #mosxdaily #seamoss #wellnessbrand ♬ original sound - Chelsea McShane A Facebook group dedicated to Mos X Daily complaints now has hundreds of members sharing nearly identical stories: money paid, orders unfulfilled, and communication dead. Despite promises to use TikTok daily to update customers, Vitiello has gone quiet again - and it's unclear when, or if, he will make good on his vow to 'fix' the mess. Until then, consumer advocates are encouraging those affected to come forward and lodge complaints with authorities, with the possibility of collective legal action on the horizon. NSW Fair Trading has made their position clear: 'Do not place an order or deal with this business.' Brent has been experiencing problems with the business since he launched it last year - Shortly after its launch, his brand got into hot water when furious customers alleged they were yet set to see their products after paying for them online. Brent previously said there were issues distributing the sea moss internationally because it spoils after 30 days and they had to switch shipping companies to ensure faster delivery. He previously claimed that his product has helped 'thousands' of people as he continues to praise his product and its alleged benefits amid the order issues. Brent rose to fame on the ninth series of MAFS in 2022, where he was famously 'married' to Tamara Djordjevic. Unfortunately, their ill-fated romance went from bad to worse on the show, before they went their separate ways during their explosive final vows.
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Shock family twist emerges about high-profile real estate agent under investigation as his SISTER is accused of a very dark crime
A well-known real estate agent under investigation for underquoting is the brother of a female author charged with offences relating to child abuse material. Josh Tesolin and the Ray White branch at Quakers Hill in north-west Sydney are being probed by NSW Fair Trading 'following proactive compliance blitzes into underquoting and complaints'. Daily Mail Australia can reveal his sister Lauren Ashley Mastrosa, 33, is facing court over charges relating to her erotic fiction novel 'Daddy's Little Toy'. Mastrosa has also been known as Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa and her pen names of Lauren Ashley and Tori Wood. Lawyers representing Mr Tesolin declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. Mastrosa was arrested at her Quakers Hill home on March 22 and charged with possessing, disseminating, and producing child abuse material. She has pleaded not guilty. 'Daddy's Little Toy' describes a man speaking about how he desired a now 18-year-old since she was a toddler. The 33-year-old Christian charity employee had issued a pre-release of the novel to around 20 advanced readers in March. The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received complaints about the book and the Australian Federal Police referred them to NSW Police who arrested her on March 21. At a hearing on April 14, Mastrosa's lawyer Mickaela Mate said the allegedly offensive content was between fictional characters who were two consenting adults. '[It] is a fantasy within a fiction and hence there are no victims,' the solicitor said. As the author's husband Adam Mastrosa watched on, Ms Mate argued it was necessary for the court to prevent the publication of her client's details and the case. But on April 16, Mastrosa lost her bid at Blacktown Local Court. Online threats made against the woman and her husband, including from a TikToker who referred to the electric chair, were high enough that her safety was at risk, the court was told. Mastrosa had experienced distress due to these comments against her because child abuse material was seen as heinous. 'Being called a pedophile online is something that sticks in the community,' Ms Mate told the court. She also argued that any magistrate who heard the matter in the future could be influenced because they had read about the widely reported 'memorable' case. The case stuck out because her client worked for a Christian charity, BaptistCare, while writing about allegedly taboo material, the court heard. 'It is so memorable because my client is otherwise... so ordinary,' Ms Mate said. Barrister Matthew Lewis SC, representing News Corp, opposed any suppression, saying details about the case had already gone viral worldwide. 'It's almost akin to trying to stop the tide - it's gone,' he said. Magistrate Rami Attia declined to make the orders, saying there was no expert evidence Mastrosa was at risk of harm or self-harm from further reporting. This was despite the author's 'deep-seated fear' of attending court and her solicitor's genuine concerns for her wellbeing, the magistrate said. He also said none of the online threats were elevated enough to warrant the court shielding her identity. Any suggestion a magistrate could be influenced by media reports of the matter was also rejected. Mastrosa did not appear in court for the hearings. Her matter will return to court on June 5. A NSW Fair Trading spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the investigation into Mr Tesolin is 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,' she said. 'As this investigation is ongoing, no further comment is available at this time,' she said. Daily Mail Australia does not allege Mr Tesolin has engaged in underquoting, only that there is reason for NSW Fair Trading to investigate him. A Ray White spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the agency was 'proud of our transparency, professionalism and adherence to NSW Fair Trading requirements'. 'Josh Tesolin is not aware of any personal investigation into him,' she said. 'Rather, on 16 March 2023, the corporate licensee responded to an investigation by NSW Fair Trading; since that date, there has been no penalty, fine or regulatory action taken by NSW Fair Trading against the corporate licensee or Mr Tesolin.'
