The founder of the failed retirement village business is still working as a consultant to the aged care industry, advising a company with properties in Brisbane and Townsville – even as he is questioned in court over $27.4M in missing funds.
Prime Trust collapsed in 2010, owing $550M to investors, and has since been the subject of a corporate investigation and two civil lawsuits.
In July 2016, the Federal Court overturned a ruling which found the company’s directors had breached their duties to investors that would have seen Mr Lewski banned from corporate roles for 15 years.
However, he’s still fighting a Victorian Supreme Court case brought by Prime Trusts’ receivers KordaMentha over the missing $27.4M, part of the $33M fee he received when the company listed on the ASX in 2007.
Giving evidence in December, Mr Lewski said he couldn’t recall what happened to the cash, or the reason for a series of transactions in March 2008 in which $50M went into the account of another of his companies Retirement Guide before being withdrawn as two cheques.
His son Ari, now in charge of Direct Fitness, the company that received the money, also testified he had no idea where the missing money had gone.
KordaMentha are now seeking a court order for the Commonwealth Bank to trace the 2008 withdrawals, while the case has been adjourned until February 3 when both men are set to re-appear.
