Amanda St George fronts court after being charged with stealing $400k from former employer Que Models

An ex-employee of a top Gold Coast-based modelling agency is now accused of stealing more than $430,000 from the company. Read what happened when she faced court.

Photos of Amanda St George leaving the Southport courthouse after her first appearance on criminal charges. 24 August 2023 Southport Picture by Richard Gosling

An ex-employee of one of the state’s top modelling agencies plans to fight charges that she allegedly stole more than $400,000 from the company, a court has been told.

Former Que Models staffer Amanda Kate St George, 46, faced Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday for the first time since being charged.

She is charged with two counts of stealing by clerks and servants.

Police allege Ms St George stole $434,427.89 while employed at the Broadbeach Waters-based agency as head booker – responsible for booking and managing company models – before her resignation in January.

Amanda St George leaving the Southport courthouse after her first appearance on criminal charges. 24 August 2023 Southport Picture by Richard Gosling

Court documents allege that while working for Que Models, Ms St George created her own business with a similar name of Que Model Management and gave documents containing her personal bank account details to clients.

It is alleged that between April 28, 2017 and January 16, 2023, Ms St George received numerous payments for modelling contracts that should have been paid to her employer.

Court documents reveal the alleged fraudulent transactions came to light when Que Models hired a forensic accountant in relation to another matter.

It is further alleged Ms St George did not return a company-owned hard drive upon her resignation, which reportedly contained personal information about the agency and its clients.

Police allegedly found the box for the hard drive when they searched Ms St George’s Burleigh Waters home on July 26.

Que Models founders and brothers, Jared and Ryan Verbruggen, in their Que Models office at Broadbeach Waters. Picture Glenn Hampson

Ms St George allegedly claimed at first that she had lost the hard drive, then told police she had returned two computers to Que Models and believed the device was with them.

She was soon arrested and charged.

Ms St George was demurely dressed and supported by her partner when she fronted court this week.

Defence lawyer Ron Behlau, of Behlau Murakami Grant, told the court during the brief mention that his client intended to plead not guilty to the charges.

The case was adjourned to September 14.

Ms St George did not answer reporters’ questions as she left the courthouse.

The criminal charges come months after Que Models founders and brothers Jared and Ryan Verbruggen commenced Federal Court action against Ms St George and her husband.

Court documents allege that in addition to misappropriating funds, Ms St George told clients Que Models was “rebranding” to Saint Model Management and later tried to poach models belonging to her former employer.

The civil lawsuit further alleges Saint Model Management was in September last year incorporated as a company as a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint Family Holdings, of which Ms St George and her husband Darren Crowe were directors.

Ms St George has since filed a defence.

The Federal Court case is ongoing and is listed for interlocutory hearing on November 6.