Tech billionaire and beauty boss in legal fight over $90k bankruptcy claim

A tech billionaire and a wellness entrepreneur are set to air their dirty laundry in a bankruptcy fight involving an alleged secret affair and a luxury mansion.

A software billionaire and wellness entrepreneur will face off in the Federal Court next year over a bankruptcy claim related to the explosive end to their allegedly sexual relationship.

The legal fight comes after Wisetech co-founder Richard White served a bankruptcy notice on beauty entrepreneur Linda Rogan to recover more than $91,000, which Ms Rogan claims she spent at his behest.

She alleges she spent the money furnishing a luxury $13.1m waterfront mansion in Vaucluse, in Sydney’s wealthy eastern suburbs, which Mr White had purchased for her to live in with her children.

Wellness entrepreneur Linda Rogan is embroiled in a bankruptcy battle with her alleged ex-lover. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Ms Rogan has applied to have the bankruptcy notice thrown out of court on the grounds it is an “abuse of process”.

On Tuesday, Mr White’s barrister Jeremy Giles SC told the Federal Court that his client would like to have the dispute resolved quickly.

“We have an unsurprising – in light of what’s been said – desire for a quick trial in this matter,” he said.

Mr Giles foreshadowed there may be an argument about legal professional privilege related to documents sought by Ms Rogan’s lawyers that Mr White had agreed to produce.

Legal professional privilege protects confidential communications between lawyers and their clients related to legal matters.

Mr Giles said his client’s agreement to provide the material meant there was “no need” for her lawyers to serve subpoenas on Mr White’s partner Zena Nasser or his lawyer Justin Betar.

Justice Nye Perram noted the subpoena argument may be a “real debate” or “may not (be) any fight at all” but it would need to be determined before the bankruptcy issue could proceed.

He said he was alarmed that the parties had estimated the bankruptcy battle would run for two days.

“It’s a bankruptcy notice, I don’t think we should overproduce this,” the Federal Court judge said.

“I’m very anxious for this case to be concluded in one day.”

WiseTech Global founder Richard White launched the bankruptcy proceedings against Ms Rogan to recoup $91,000.

He set the matter down for hearing in February next year.

Ms Rogan has claimed Mr White offered to invest in her Bionik Wellness business in exchange for sex.

She alleges the billionaire launched the bankruptcy proceedings against her after his partner found out about their secret affair.

The wellness entrepreneur owns laser clinics in Australia and New Zealand and was one of the frontrunners to appear on Real Housewives of Sydney.

Mr White is the co-founder of software company WiseTech Global and one of Australia’s richest people with an estimated net worth of more than $10bn.

Originally published as Tech billionaire and beauty boss in legal fight over $90k bankruptcy claim