A lawyer representing a former Geelong businessman and reality TV star claims she has been forced to drop his alleged fraud case due to fears over her own safety.
Fedorov Family Lawyers director, Marie Fedorov, had been representing one-time Big Brother star turned entrepreneur Heath Tournier over unproven allegations of systematic fraud and money laundering against several of his businesses.
Ms Fedorov, who lives on the Gold Coast, says her Burleigh Heads home was the alleged target of an arson attack on April 24, a claim that is being probed by Queensland Police.
“It has definitely rattled me,” she said.
Marie Federov, Director of Fedorov Family Lawyers and Family Mediation Station
“It is such a complex matter and it has taken a long time to get my head around it, but we have found him a new lawyer to take it on.
“I feel I can’t represent him anymore.”
A Queensland Police spokesman said an investigation was continuing into the circumstances surrounding the fire, which is alleged to have ignited on the fence line of her property.
He said the incident was reported to police on May 3.
“Police are investigating reports of a deliberate fire/wilful damage,” he said.
“Police attended the property to make inquiries on May 4.
“The investigation is continuing.”
The site of the alleged fire at the Burleigh Heads property.
Mr Tournier claims he is the victim of a fraud and money-laundering plot against him and his former businesses, filing complaints with both the Victorian and New South Wales police.
The latter has confirmed to the Geelong Advertiser an investigation was ongoing.
Victoria Police has assigned officers to look into the claims but have not confirmed if any alleged crime is being investigated.
It comes as Westpac launched an internal review with its Major Financial Crime and Fraud Prevention team into allegations a loan had been taken out in Mr Tournier’s name using fraudulent signatures.
Heath Tournier as a contestant on Big Brother.
Westpac declined to comment when contacted by the Geelong Advertiser, which has seen emails confirming the investigation from the bank’s major fraud investigations team.
Mr Tournier was also the target of an arson attack in 2017 when his Torquay home and a luxury car were destroyed by fire.
A Bell Post Hill man, Sean Mannion, was eventually jailed for seven years after he pleaded guilty to arson and reckless conduct endangering life in the Geelong County Court in February 2020.
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