A judge has signed off on a $4.7 million settlement in two investor class actions against collapsed sandalwood producer Quintis, two year after an earlier settlement was scuttled as group members kicked off an insurance dispute in pursuit of a better return.
A judge has told Forum Finance director Vince Tesoriero to “revisit” evidence about his true financial position if he wants to win the release of $1.25 million to pay for his defence in Westpac’s fraud case against him, amid concerns about whether he has made full disclosure to the court.
A court has handed CBRE indemnity costs for successfully defending a negligent land valuation lawsuit by defunct fund manager City Pacific after it had offered $600,000 to settle the case.
Bill Papas’ girlfriend Louise Agostino has hit back at Westpac’s lawsuit accusing her of involvement in the Forum Group director’s alleged $294 million fraud, denying all allegations and arguing that the bulk of the bank’s claims against her should be struck out.
Shareholders bringing a class action against Quintis have lost their bid for Ernst & Young to hand over documents from two meetings with a director of the sandalwood supplier, after a judge found they did not get “within a bull’s roar” of showing the accounting firm’s discovery was inadequate.
Car dealers that have brought a class action against General Motors over its decision to retire the Holden brand in Australia rejected offers of compensation totaling close to $5 million, according to court documents.
General Motors Holden Australia has denied that it owes compensation to Holden dealers over its decision to retire the iconic brand in Australia, and says its dependence on other GM units to supply the cars constituted “an event beyond its reasonable control”.
Pest control giant Rentokil has won its case against a former manager over an alleged multi-million dollar fraudulent invoice scheme, with a court ruling the company is owed $3.38 million plus almost $200,000 in interest.
Real estate giant CBRE Group has won its appeal in a dispute with defunct fund manager City Pacific, which claimed the company negligently valued a Queensland marina at $27.3 million in 2006 and caused millions in losses.
A lawyer for Forum Finance director Bill Papas has argued the alleged fraudster should be able to shield documents held by his former lawyer under a claim for legal professional privilege despite being a “fugitive” from contempt charges.