Catch me if you can: Baby-faced con artist targets former Australian reality TV contestant

HE’S impersonated a real estate tycoon and a talent manager and left a trail of unhappy people across the country.

EXCLUSIVE

SOME might know him as real estate tycoon Harrison Eyles.

To others he might be Infinity Music Festival director Dene Mussillon, anti-bullying advocate Harrison O’Connor, music promoter Nic Lloyd or Clay O’Connor, or talent manager Luke Hemmings.

But to those who know his real identity, the baby-faced former radio DJ turned serial con artist, is Dene Broadbelt.

Broadbelt, 23, owes an estimated $150,000-$260,000 to people he has duped in business deals across the country over the past three years.

His scams have included promoting and selling tickets to bogus music festivals; hiring camera equipment, hotel rooms, limousines and services of small businesses on false work accounts; and luring teens out of school and work with the promise of a dream career before leaving them high and dry.

He has operated under various company names including Sly Creators, One 11 Agency, Aquaholic Photography, Colemans Studios, and VA Entertainment Australia and set up websites with fake staff profiles. He’s tricked high school students, ambitious university graduates, a police officer, small business owners, aspiring musicians and professionals out of time and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

He’s been relatively quiet since he was accused of faking his own death in a press release sent to national media last year.

But it appears Broadbelt is back to his old tricks — this time targeting a young entertainer from a reality TV show.

Singer songwriter Ben Denman — AKA Ben Oddie.

Singer songwriter Ben Denman, 18, told news.com.au he was still reeling after last week discovering his talent manager of six months, who he knew as Luke Hemmings, was actually Broadbelt.

Mr Denham, whose stage name is Ben Oddie, said he was first contacted by Broadbelt after he appeared as a contestant on The X Factor Australia in April this year.

Broadbelt introduced himself over social media as ‘Luke Hemmings’ of ‘Sly Creators’. He told Mr Denman he was impressed by his talent and could help make him a star.

Broadbelt claimed he worked with Blink 182 and 5 Seconds of Summer. He said he knew international producers in Los Angeles who had worked with Afrojack, Iggy Azalea, Leona Lewis and Kelly Rowland, who had heard Mr Denman’s music and wanted to work with him. He sent Mr Denham stock pictures of a luxury office he claimed was in the same building as Sony in Los Angeles. He told Broadbelt he had leased the property as his LA headquarters and had lined up work and meetings for them to make the overseas move in 2017.

Screen shots of photos sent from ‘Lucas Hemmings’ to Ben Denman AKA Ben Oddie. ‘Hemmings’ said the images were of his LA headquarters.

Screenshots of a Facebook conversation between ‘Lucas Hemmings’ (in grey) and Ben Denman (in blue) AKA Ben Oddie.

It was all a sham. In reality, Broadbelt was unemployed and, according to him, bankrupt. But it would take six months of being managed by Broadbelt until Mr Denham became privy to it.

“I couldn’t believe it but lots of the other contestants on the show were getting signed by independent labels so I just thought that’s what was happening to me as well,” Mr Denham said.

“I made a video for Facebook to announce my dreams were coming true and I was moving to LA and everything.”

Former X Factor hopeful Ben Denman thought all of his dreams had come true before he realised things weren’t as they seemed. He has since removed this post.

Ben Denman was led to believe he had work in LA with major international producers.

It all unravelled last week when Mr Denman became suspicious of Broadbelt and discovered his real identity. He said Broadbelt has since stopped responding to his emails.

News.com.au was unable to reach Broadbelt for comment.

His website has since disappeared and his business phone number has been disconnected.

It’s a pattern Broadbelt has repeated over and over again.

A ‘press photo’ of Dene Broadbelt from his now defunct website www.denebroadbelt.com.au.

Among the youngest of Broadbelt’s victims was a teen who claimed he was tricked into dropping out of school with the promise of a dream career. He reportedly promised to pay him $25 per hour as an assistant for Aquaholic Photography before loading him up with professional camera equipment then luring him to the other side of the country and leaving him to find his own way home.

VA Digital Hire later alleged Broadbelt obtained the equipment using business accounts that were not settled, leaving unpaid bills estimated at $20,000.

Broadbelt last year admitted to “ripping off creditors in hundreds of thousands of unpaid fees and failed ventures”. He promised to pay them back as long as they allowed him to film their reactions during the handover. Some humoured him and said they’d welcomed the exchange if it meant they’d get their money back. Broadbelt has not yet delivered.

Dream Media Darwin owner Chris O’Brien said Broadbelt still owed him about $20,000 after failing to pay for camera equipment hire in 2014.

“We sent him to Alice Springs for a job he said he was doing for Channel Nine (but it turned out to be a scam),” he said. Broadbelt had purported to be part of a film crew covering a story for the network about a charity cancer walk in the outback.

Skip Film Productions NSW owner Noel Sadler — who is one of the con artist’s victims — said Broadbelt “has never been able to tell the truth”.

“Everything he says is a lie and he never follows through on anything he promises,” Mr Sadler said.

“He doesn’t see the consequences of his actions ... it’s all about him and the right now.”

Mr Sadler said Broadbelt commissioned him to make an advertisement for Aquaholic Photography late in 2013.

“He ripped me off and didn’t pay up,” Mr Sadler said.

Skip Film Productions NSW owner Noel Sadler claims Dene Broadbelt owes him thousands of dollars for unpaid services.

Broadbelt, operating under the alias of Harrison Eyles, the managing director of a business called Coast and Country Real Estate, last year attempted to lease a shopfront, order cars, and even held face-to-face interviews with people who replied to his job adverts.

Burswood Car Rentals owner Morrison Todd said Broadbelt owes him about $4000 for damaging a hired vehicle and unpaid bills.

“We had a credit card (when Broadbelt made the booking) but it stopped working after about one week,” he said.

Broadbelt was also at the centre of a dispute between unpaid performers at the Eagle FM Mini Day Event and Goulburn Radio in March 2013.

The Infinity Music Festival — which Broadbelt promoted in Darwin and several NSW and Queensland country towns — was advertised as a major electro music event to be headlined by big name performers. It turned out be a sham and never went ahead.

Publicist Jarrod Meakins said he was hired by Broadbelt to promote the festival but quit when he wasn’t paid for his work.

“Some of the artists being advertised didn’t even know they were booked to play, because they weren’t. The last thing I did was help announce Darwin, and after that I pulled out when I found out what he was up to,” he said.

“In hindsight ... It was never going to go ahead.” He was right.

Ulladulla Web Design owner Scott Richardson previously told news.com.au he was contracted by Broadbelt to create posters and online flyers for the Infinity Music Festival. He said Mr Broadbelt never paid him the $2000 for his work.

Eagle Embroidery business owner Roy Day, based in Bega NSW, said Broadbelt made two separate orders to embroider “photographer” and “crew” on to work uniforms and post them to a Batemans Bay address in 2013. Mr Day did the work but was never paid the $2000 for his services.

A ‘press photo’ from the now defunct website of Dene Broadbelt. Picture: www.denebroadbelt.com.au

BROADBELT: ‘I DIDN’T FAKE MY OWN DEATH’

Things took an unexpected turn last year as pressure mounted on Broadbelt to pay back the money he owed and a press release was sent to national media informing them of his death.

“I have to inform everyone of the sad news that Dene Broadbelt, died unexpectedly on Saturday night when he took his own life,” the email read. “There is to be a memorial service held ASAP (date and time will be announced as soon as possible). We would ask that Dene’s final wishes are observed, and there are to be no flowers, donations to World Vision would be welcomed instead.” Broadbelt wasn’t dead. He denied he was behind the email.

Broadbelt later issued a press release where he claimed to be a changed man who had become an anti-bullying advocate. He said he had been approved by the NSW Department of Education to spread awareness about mental health in public schools.

A spokesman for the NSW Department of Education told news.com.au the claims it had approved Broadbelt were false and that it was the role of individual principals’ to approve or manage guest speakers in schools.

Broadbelt has previously claimed he was an official ambassador for Beyond Blue and Lifeline. Both organisations said the claims were untrue.

In another press release Broadbelt claimed he was writing an autobiography titled Too Good to be True for a 2016 release. The title said it all, with no book about Broadbelt’s life to have yet hit the shelves.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

While several people have reported their cases to police there is no active investigation into Broadbelt’s dealings, according to NSW and NT Police.

NSW Police told news.com.au its “fraud squad (is) unaware of any incidents that are currently under investigation with this man”. Those who reported the incidents to police said they were told it was a civil case and they would have to go to court to get their money back.

The NSW Fair Trading complaints register only provides information about businesses that are the subject of 10 or more complaints in one calendar month.

“NSW Fair Trading has no current actions or prosecutions against Broadbelt,” a spokesman for NSW Fair Trading told news.com.au.

“Fair Trading’s advice to consumers who are dissatisfied in their dealings with this trader is to contact the trader and try to resolve the matter in the first instance.

“Customers who are unable to resolve their issues with the trader are advised to lodge a written complaint with NSW Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au.

“Fair Trading will assess the complaint to determine next steps.”

NSW Fair Trading is “unable to intervene” if the dispute is between two businesses.

“Businesses seeking to recover debts may seek their own independent legal advice,” the spokesman said.

“In the event a debt is owed for services provided to a business, the creditor is advised to contact the NSW Small Business Commissioner on 1300 795 534 or [phone], or online.”

If you or anyone you know needs help contact Lifeline on 13 11 14

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