Ex-bankrupt behind NDIS provider Cocoon SDA Care took 5-star trips with his EA, a former Bachelor star

An ex-bankrupt behind a controversial NDIS company spent tens of thousands of dollars on luxe work trips with a team including his executive assistant, who was on The Bachelor TV show.

EXCLUSIVE: An ex-bankrupt behind a controversial NDIS company spent tens of thousands of dollars travelling the world on business trips and staying in 5 star hotels, often with a team of people including his executive assistant, a former contestant on the Bachelor TV show.

The globetrotting former taxi driver Zaffar Khan, stayed in luxury resorts while drumming up business for Cocoon SDA Care, whose parent company Horizon SolSolutions claimed more than $50m from the taxpayer last year and is currently under investigation by government agencies.

Last week Horizon was given a 30-day ban by the disability watchdog from providing some NDIS services due to welfare concerns, leaving hundreds of vulnerable people looking for a new provider, and some needing to find new homes.

Mr Khan, who goes by the title of corporate strategist, but is not an office holder with the company, was often accompanied on the business trips by Executive Assistant Marg Irving, previously Zogoulas who appeared on the Bachelor in 2020.

On these international ventures, Mr Khan was hunting for people to invest in disability accommodation.

Zaffar Khan and staff from Cocoon SDA on various overseas travel trips.

A leaked management document showed that in March 2023, the company spent $246,350 on conferences and travel. That month Mr Khan and his team were in Saudi Arabia for an event.

On TikTok Ms Irving, who features on the ‘team’ page on the Cocoon website, posted a TikTok video titled ‘GRWM for work in Saudi Arabia’ in her hotel dressing gown, in May 2023.

Marguerite Irving, the EA to Zaffar Khan, at Cocoon SDA. She is a former contestant on the Bachelor. Picture: Instagram

The total spend on travel and conferences for the year 2022-2023 was $631,254, according to the document.

On one trip to Indonesia, Mr Zaffar was joined by ex-Liberal politician Gary Hardgrave, who this week stepped down as an “advisor” for the group after 11 years.

On that occasion there was a team of at least seven, including a videographer, and they stayed at the 5 star hotel Gran Meliá in Jakarta in September 2024. It is not known whether Ms Irving was on that trip.

Gran Meliá Hotel in Jakarta.

As well as enjoying tourist sites and meals out, they were pictured with contacts from the Australian Embassy, according to one post.

Other trips included Shanghai and Dubai.

Tanya-Lee Quinn, who was CEO of Cocoon for just five days in August 2023, but had previously acted as a consultant for the business, said considering the poor state of the company’s finances, the spending on travel by the firm was “crazy, absolutely crazy”.

She said Mr Khan’s “EA had a PA and he just would fly around the world with these women”.

“He was never in the country, he’s always flying and staying in you know five-star resorts,” Ms Quinn said.

Marguerite Irving, is a former contestant on the Bachelor. Picture: TikTok

She alleges she was escorted from the building after raising concerns with the company and also alerted Bill Shorten’s office and the disability watchdog in 2023.

The company’s official financial statements varied from the management document, showing the international travel spend in 2022-2023 was $14,857.

However, the auditor slammed the statements saying, “inadequate documentation, incomplete disclosures, unsupported entries and weak internal controls affected our ability to verify the accuracy or completeness of recorded amounts and disclosures”.

Mr Khan said the overseas expenses were funded through “business-generated revenue and private investments” and often involved international exhibitions, with all the associated costs.

“In many cases, the travel costs, accommodation, and hospitality were covered by our overseas hosts or event organisers,” Mr Khan said.

He said team members were chosen to accompany him on the trip “based on business relevance and event scale”.

Originally published as Ex-bankrupt behind NDIS provider Cocoon SDA Care took 5-star trips with his EA, a former Bachelor star