A notorious conman banned from the real estate industry in four states has re-emerged as a 'recruitment consultant' - only to disappear within hours after being contacted by The Courier over new unpaid accounts and false references.
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'Luke Hemmings' - also known as Lucas Hemmings, Dene or Dean Broadbelt, Harrison O'Connor, Harrison Eyles, Dene Mussillon, Nic Lloyd and Clay O'Connor - was the subject of a series of Courier articles after claiming he had the support of Ballarat's mayor Samantha McIntosh in setting up 'Masakali Estate Agents' in Ballarat in December 2018.
A self-described 'real estate maven', Hemmings claimed to service 'the breadth of Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, the Surf Coast, and regional Victoria.' The Courier has never been able to verify the existence of any sales or leases by any of Hemmings's companies.
At the time Ms McIntosh told The Courier she had never heard of Luke Hemmings or Masakali Real Estate, had not spoken to any real estate agent in her official capacity, and would not make herself available to any approaches by him.
Masakali Estate Agents never made a sale in the city, and its offices were only ever virtual. After inquiries from The Courier, it emerged that Hemmings had misrepresented himself as a licensed real estate agent in Victoria, South Australia, NSW and the Northern Territory.
Amazingly, the correspondence brazenly uses the designs provided by Lesley, still unpaid for, as both letterhead and signature.
Hemmings is now banned in those states from acting as an agent. He left a swathe of unpaid accounts and unfulfilled promises, ultimately earning himself a Facebook page dedicated to his activities.
He has also promoted a series of music concerts which never eventuated, been accused of faking his death (as 'Dene Broadbelt'), duping film and advertising companies, actors and performers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars through unpaid 'contracts' and has pleaded guilty in the NSW Local Court to a charge of 'using a carriage service to menace, harass and offend'.
The charge was later dismissed on mental health grounds.
Graphic designer Lesley (she asked for her surname to be withheld) supplied Hemmings with art work in September 2019 after they discussed his new business 'Traction Recruitment'.
READ MORE:
- Despite being suspended in SA, Luke Hemmings is an estate agent working in Victoria
- Licence lost, but debts and threats remain as authorities act against Luke Hemmings
- The man now known as Luke Hemmings has many people looking for him
- Is Luke Hemmings a fit person to be an estate agent?
- Don't fall for fly-by-nights, get a 'real' real estate agent
According to Traction Recruitment's website (taken down overnight) the business is 'a global recruitment group that specialises in permanent positions within the corporate, hospitality, medical and construction sectors.
'Since launching in 2019, Traction has positioned itself as the industry leader, constantly setting new benchmarks with spectacular collaborations and partnerships. Traction Recruitment is driven by a relentless quest to seek the new, inspiring and innovative.
"With a passionate team of staff and recruitment experts, The Traction team works closely with clients and candidates, providing expert guidance and a seamless experience to create authentic, powerful and unforgettable experiences.'
Lesley supplied Traction with graphic work including logos, business cards, folders and letterheads over a period of three months, documenting the process over a series of recorded Facebook messages.
The back-and-forth captures Hemmings asking for a series of changes and requesting access to the full folders of the designer's work. At the end of the exchange Lesley reminds Hemmings her invoices remain unpaid.
At this point a series of ugly email exchanges unfold, which The Courier has sighted, where Traction Recruitment denies any contractual responsibility for payment. It culminates in a letter of denial of responsibility for payment by Traction Recruitment for the graphic work.
READ THE LETTER OF DENIAL TO GRAPHIC ARTIST LESLEY - USING THE DESIGNS SHE HAD SUPPLIED TO TRACTION RECRUITMENT - BELOW
Amazingly, the correspondence brazenly uses the designs provided by Lesley, still unpaid for, as both letterhead and signature.
The now-removed Traction Recruitment website also featured a series of testimonial references to Mr Hemmings by alleged 'clients'.
The Courier spoke to one client, Missy Coutzas, who admitted knowing Mr Hemmings but denied giving any permission for a testimonial to be published, or having any knowledge about Traction Recruitment.
Another referee, Dominic Mandile, died a year ago. His brother's real estate agency expressed surprise and disappointment that Mr Hemmings had used his image and alleged statement.
The Courier has attempted to contact Luke Hemmings and his legal representative, but they have not returned calls. Traction Recruitment is listed as a 'a division of the Lindsay Ellison Group of Companies', formerly known as Farid & Associates Property Sales. Luke Hemmings is the director, secretary and sole shareholder in Lindsay Ellison Group.
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