Australian swimmer Neil Brooks living in Bali wanted for fraud in Australia

[spicyayam]

I just this story on A Current Affair:

Embattled gold medalist caught living a life of luxury in Bali

9now.nine.com.au

The report said they own Nourish Cafe in Ungasan: https://www.instagram.com/nourishbali/?hl=en

A major A Current Affair investigation has tracked former "mean machine" swim sensation and alleged fraudster Neil Brooks to Bali.

Brooks and his wife Linda were arrested on serious fraud charges involving $1.95 million in Brisbane five years ago.

The pair were granted bail and allowed to keep their passports.

The couple have been unable to return to Australia, until now, due to pandemic travel restrictions and their vaccination status.

A Brisbane magistrate recently threatened to issue a warrant for the former Olympian's arrest if he does not front up to court in August.

A Current Affair can reveal the couple have been living and running businesses in the Australian holiday favourite, Bali.

 

[Balifrog]

These "reporters" should be jailed, banned ....

 

[Foamcrest]

Why?

 

[PERtoDPS]

Many shady people hiding from debts and all kinds of other stuff in Bali was my experience. I don't agree with ripping and running, but I'm all for a second chance at life.

 

[Foamcrest]

I agree everyone, well nearly everyone, should get a second chance at life but I'm asking why should the reporters should be."jailed banned "?

 

[Foamcrest]

Brooks has merely been charged with defrauding an investor of $1.9 mil which Brooks denies. They haven't been able to return to Australia to face the charge because of Covid restrictions but now a magistrate has told them front up to court and defend the charge or a warrant will be issued for his/their arrest. No problems.
What I don't understand is why reporters covering the story should be "jailed or banned "? What did they do wrong?

 

[Balifrog]

I agree everyone, well nearly everyone, should get a second chance at life but I'm asking why should the reporters should be."jailed banned "?

Because it's not their job to play sheriff.
And one is innocent till proven guilty in court.

 

[SamD]

Because it's not their job to play sheriff.
And one is innocent till proven guilty in court.

I am not able to read the full link on Instagram but the quoted text makes no assumptions as to their innocence or guilt. So how are they "playing sheriff"? As far as I can make out they are reporting facts. They even give the pair the (laughable) benefit of the doubt on their reasons for not returning to Oz to face the charges. "Of course your honour, we would love to return but unfortunately we are not allowed to do so. What a shame". Haha .

 

[Foamcrest]

Another interesting factor will be their vaccination status. We all know no airline will let anyone board unless the passenger can show proof of having been vaccinated. What if they are not? The Court has said come home and face charges or we'll issue a warrant for your arrest. “But your honour Im doing my best to face the charges but nobody will let me fly home“. What happens then? No way the Aussie Government is going to charter a plane, nobody can to force him so what happens? I suppose the Court could give him a time period to get vaccinated but what if he still refuses?
Its not over yet I would venture to say.

 

[Foamcrest]

I think you're on to something Balifrog, want to buy the Eiffel Tower, cheap price no problem. Cash only.

 

[RossM]

These "reporters" should be jailed, banned ....

WHY??

 

[RossM]

Another interesting factor will be their vaccination status. We all know no airline will let anyone board unless the passenger can show proof of having been vaccinated. What if they are not? The Court has said come home and face charges or we'll issue a warrant for your arrest. “But your honour Im doing my best to face the charges but nobody will let me fly home“. What happens then? No way the Aussie Government is going to charter a plane, nobody can to force him so what happens? I suppose the Court could give him a time period to get vaccinated but what if he still refuses?
Its not over yet I would venture to say.

It wouldn't surprise me if the government did charter an aircraft. Almost $2 Million is not an insignificant amount of money, and a small jet could be chartered for about $5,000 an hour, only 2.5 hours to Darwin (plus the return) $50,000, and then drive them in a minivan to a southern capital. The thought of that drive would be enough for most to throw up their hands and say, "Take me".

Justice must be SEEN to be done.

The greater problem that he and his wife now face is that their creditors now know where to find them, and they could easily be victims of an accident. $2 M is a LOT of money to lose.

 

[Foamcrest]

RossM, they are only on a charge at this stage which they vehemently deny so they owe nobody anything until the case is tried and lost or won so there is nothing for a creditor to collect. What if they win their case?

 

[SamD]

I was asking somebody the same question regarding vaccination status. What if the indo government says you need to be vaccinated to renew your kitas? Maybe they already have, I don't know. What if you refuse. You must be deported. No airline will accept you because you are not vaccinated. What then? Firing squad?

 

[Foamcrest]

This is getting serious. We need Baliblog QC to give advice.

 

[AuroraB]

I was asking somebody the same question regarding vaccination status. What if the indo government says you need to be vaccinated to renew your kitas? Maybe they already have, I don't know. What if you refuse. You must be deported. No airline will accept you because you are not vaccinated. What then? Firing squad?

One way to avoid the firing squad could be to get a letter of medical exemption (that you cannot have covid-19 vaccine)

 

[RossM]

RossM, they are only on a charge at this stage which they vehemently deny so they owe nobody anything until the case is tried and lost or won so there is nothing for a creditor to collect. What if they win their case?

I understand the situation. Christopher Skase was never charged, but the government was prepared to provide a jet to bring him from Spain back to Australia, and fly low, unpressurized, because he claimed that he couldn't fly due to his lung condition, just so that he could provide answers to questions. Admittedly the numbers were not a triflng $2 Million, but hundreds of millions. The cost of such a flight would have been about half a million $$.

I didn't, and wouldn't, suggest that they owed anybody anything until the case has been proved.

 

[spicyayam]

You can see the program here if you are interested. I wonder if the government will try to extradite him back to Australia.

 

[RossM]

Because it's not their job to play sheriff.
And one is innocent till proven guilty in court.

They are merely reporting the situation as they see it. Our justice system will be grateful that they have been located without the expenditure of public monies trying to locate them, as was the case with Skase in Spain many years ago.

 

[RossM]

RossM, they are only on a charge at this stage which they vehemently deny so they owe nobody anything until the case is tried and lost or won so there is nothing for a creditor to collect. What if they win their case?

I haven't suggested otherwise. In fact, I said this in an earlier post.........."I didn't, and wouldn't, suggest that they owed anybody anything until the case has been proved".

I AM saying that the authorities may pay to bring them back to face the charges.

There are two, or more, parties involved in this. Brookes says he didn't finger anybody's $$. Other/s have said otherwise, and desperate people do desperate things.