Ex-Que Models employee Amanda St George ordered to freeze assets amid stealing allegations
A woman accused of stealing $400,000 while in a leading role at a top Australian model and influencer agency faces new court ordered restrictions. Read the latest
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A woman charged with stealing more than $400,000 while working at one of the state’s top modelling agencies has been ordered by a court to freeze her assets.
Former Que Models employee Amanda St George, 46, is currently facing both criminal and civil court proceedings amid allegations she ripped off the six-figure sum while working at the Broadbeach Waters agency.
The Federal Court civil lawsuit was launched by Que Models founders and brothers Jared and Ryan Verbruggen earlier this year, naming both Ms St George and her husband as respondents.
Court documents list numerous allegations including that Ms St George misappropriated company funds, told clients Que Models was “rebranding” to Saint Model Management, and later tried to poach models from her former employer.
It is further alleged Saint Model Management was in September last year incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint Family Holdings, of which Ms St George and her husband Darren Crowe were directors.
Ms St George filed a defence to the claim in April.
A Federal Court order handed down this week by Justice John Logan stated the named respondents – including Ms St George, Mr Crowe, and Saint Model Management – must freeze their Australian assets up to the unencumbered value of $400,000 until trial or further order.
The order includes assets in the respondents’ names or those they have the power to deal with or dispose of.
A Burleigh Waters property or the net proceeds from its sale and any money in what the order refers to as the ‘St George controlled accounts’ – stipulating the respondents do not admit to those being controlled by Ms St George – are identified specifically.
The order will end if the respondents pay $400,000 to the court or into a joint bank account in the name of both parties’ solicitors, or otherwise provide security in that sum.
Court documents state the order does not prohibit Ms St George or Mr Crowe from paying living, legal, or ‘properly incurred’ business expenses, and that they may object to parts of the order if it would tend to incriminate them or make them liable to a civil penalty.
A further court order made this week states the civil proceedings will be stayed until a committal outcome on Ms St George’s criminal charges.
Her two charges of stealing by clerks and servants are currently before Southport Magistrates Court, alleging she stole more than $430,000 before her resignation from Que Models in January.
The criminal case alleges 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.
Ms St George’s lawyer, Ron Behlau, said at his client’s first court appearance in August that she planned to fight the charges.
Her case is listed for mention on January 11.
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