The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has brought criminal charges against exhibition promoter John Webb for his involvement in managing events company Media & Events Australia Pty Ltd between August 2004 and June 2005.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has brought criminal charges against exhibition promoter John Webb for his involvement in managing events company Media & Events Australia Pty Ltd between August 2004 and June 2005.
ASIC has also charged Gregory Millar, a director of Media & Events during the period, with adding and abetting Mr Webb.
In a statement released by ASIC the corporate watchdog said both men have appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on criminal charges and the matter was scheduled to return to the court on June 29.
ASIC alleges that Mr Webb participated in the management of Media & Events between August 2004 and June 2005 despite being disqualified from managing corporations after becoming bankrupt.
It added that Mr Millar had also been charged with aiding and abetting an offence by Media & Events by not keeping written financial records that correctly explained transactions, the financial position and performance of the company or records that would enable true and fair financial statements to be prepared and audited.
Media & Events was formed following the collapse of Mr Webb's business Consolidated Business Media Pty Ltd, a company which formerly owned the Perth Woman magazine and website design group Webfirm.
Mr Millar was the former general manager of CBM and later became the sole director of Media & Events.
Administrators were appointed to Media & Events in June 2005, about 12 months after the company took on the event operations of CBM.
A liquidator was appointed to Media & Events in July 2005.
WA Business News understands Mr Webb and Mr Millar are still promoting exhibitions via Australian Corporate Exhibitions, a business name held by Mr Millar.
The collapse of CBM and Media & Events left creditors owed millions.
Australian Corporate Exhibitions has more recently promoted mining expos in Sydney and Brisbane and, according to its mining portal, Minebox, the company has over "10 years in organising highly successful Australian mining and industry expos."
Below is the full announcement from ASIC:
Mr John Raymond Webb of Carine, and Mr Gregory John Millar of Bunbury, both of Western Australia, have appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on criminal charges brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
ASIC alleges that Mr Webb participated in the management of Media & Events Australia Pty Ltd (Media & Events) between August 2004 and June 2005 despite being disqualified from managing corporations after becoming a bankrupt.
Mr Millar, a director of Media & Events during the relevant period, has been charged with aiding and abetting Mr Webb to commit the offence.
Mr Millar has also been charged with aiding and abetting an offence by Media & Events by not keeping written financial records that:
- correctly recorded and explained its transactions and financial position and performance; and
- would enable true and fair financial statements to be prepared and audited.
The matter returns to the Perth Magistrates Court on 29 June 2007.
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions is prosecuting the matter.
Background
Mr Webb had been a director of Consolidated Business Media Pty Ltd (CBM), which was in the business of organising and selling exhibit space at various industry expos. In June 2004, the businesses operated by CBM were transferred to Media & Events and CBM was placed into external administration.
ASIC alleges that Mr Webb continued to participate in the management of Media & Events after he became a bankrupt in August 2004 until June 2005 when the company was placed into external administration. Mr Millar, an employee of CBM, who had been appointed a director of Media & Events, aided and abetted Mr Webb in committing this offence.
