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 head to Federal Court next year to fight over a bankruptcy claim related to the explosive end to their allegedly sexual relationship.

WiseTech co-founder Richard White recently served a bankruptcy notice on beauty entrepreneur Linda Rogan to recover about $91,000, which Ms Rogan claims she spent on his request.

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 was an “abuse of process” because it related to their personal relationship.

On Tuesday, Mr White’s barrister Jeremy Giles SC told the Federal Court that his client would like to have the matter 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 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 argument may be a “real debate” or “may not (be) any fight at all” and set it down to be determined before the bankruptcy fight.

He said that “alarmingly” 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