The inside story of Ultra Tune boss Sean Buckley and ex-strip club owner Jimmy Seoud’s friendship
Ultra Tune boss Sean Buckley and Jimmy Seoud enjoyed a strong relationship for 13 years. He was happy to pay for his company and odd jobs, until a dramatic falling out.
Gold Coast
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ULTRA Tune boss Sean Buckley wanted Jimmy Seoud around and he was happy to pay for his company and odd jobs.
Before the recent dramatic breakdown of a 13-year friendship, Mr Seoud enjoyed overseas jaunts, the run of his own strip club then-called Toybox Showgirls, a handsome six-figure salary and free accommodation in a luxury Surfers Paradise apartment, according to Fair Work Commission documents outlining his failed unfair dismissal bid.
The pair had known each other for 12 to 13 years and the friendship between the pair continued after the breakdown of Mr Buckley’s marriage.
He returned to Australia in 2014 and lived at his company-owned Melbourne apartment.
He allowed Mr Seoud to move in across the hall.
Mr Buckley was lonely and thought it was a good idea to have the well-connected Mr Seoud introduce him to a network of friends and associates, he told the Fair Work Commission.
There wasn’t much for him to do, but Mr Buckley was happy to pay Mr Seoud for various things, according to FWC documents.
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Mr Seoud helped him throw parties.
“I wanted him around. He filled a void in my life, and I was willing to pay for it,” Mr Buckley told the commission.
Mr Buckley, who has known Mr Seoud’s sister for more than two decades, paid Mr Seoud via car repair giant Ultra Tune’s accounts, the FWC decision document states. He was paid a gross salary of $2,250 weekly.
Mr Seoud said he did whatever Mr Buckley asked him to do, would help out with promotions and he met franchisees and even travelled overseas.
In 2018 he sent Mr Seoud to oversee renovations at his Aria apartment in Surfers Paradise.
Mr Seoud was living in it rent free and continued to have possessions at the Melbourne unit.
The pair would attend Hollywood Showgirls strip club on the Gold Coast until they were banned, which it’s understood related to a falling out Mr Buckley had with the owner.
So Mr Buckley told Mr Seoud to find him a strip club to buy.
In June 2018 – he purchased the Toy Box club – and put Mr Seoud in charge.
Mr Buckley claims instead of a pay rise, at one point Mr Seoud was given a $180,000 Mercedes. Mr Seoud claims he thought it was a company vehicle.
But now the car is gone, and so too the handsome salary and strip club. Both now live in Melbourne where Mr Seoud said on Wednesday he was now working in construction.
Originally published as The inside story of Ultra Tune boss Sean Buckley and ex-strip club owner Jimmy Seoud’s friendship