MAFS STAR FRAUD CHARGE
TV intruder to face court in alleged $20m scam case
A GOLD Coast car sales broker looking for love on reality TV show Married At First Sight has another date – this time with the courts, accused of helping to scam up to $20 million from innocent Queenslanders. Daniel Webb was one of seven charged in 2016 with allegedly cold calling more than 600 people. He is set to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday charged with aggravated fraud.
DANIEL Webb has two important dates this week.
The Gold Coast car sales broker poured his heart out in front of more than 1 million TV viewers last night in his search for love and on Friday he will face court accused of helping to scam up to $20 million from innocent Queenslanders.
Webb, who made his debut on Channel 9’s Married At First Sight last night, was one of seven charged in 2016 with allegedly cold calling more than 600 people.
Police allege the 35year-old took part in manipulating vulnerable people to become “puppet directors” of 12 scam companies in early 2014. The investors were allegedly asked to pay $500$1000 for a four-day trial of betting and investment software and then made to sign 12-month contracts. Webb is due to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday charged with aggravated fraud.
It is alleged former Gold Coast detective Michael Featherstone masterminded the boiler room scam, which netted between $15 million and $20 million. Lawyers for Featherstone, who was charged with fraud along with his wife Zoei Charissa Keong, said they would fight the charges. Ms Keong was found dead on Christmas Day last year, with a family friend saying she was a “sensitive” woman not deserving of “outrageous delays” in the court case.
Channel 9 and Webb yesterday declined to comment about the allegations he faced, or answer questions about his appearance on the show.
Webb, who plays rugby league for the Currumbin Eagles, was one of four who entered the show as an “intruder” last night. He got hitched in a mock wedding called the “commitment ceremony”.
His profile on the show described him as “charismatic, flirty and confident”. It also says he is the “life of the party” and has a “shoulder to cry on 24/7”.
In promotions for the show, Webb said he was looking for someone who gives him butterflies, who is goal orientated, will accept his son and possibly grow as a family.
A video was posted of the “intruders” being introduced to the other contestants with someone saying “the new boy Dan is on the radar”.
Webb’s rugby coach, Ryan Gundry, told the Bulletin yesterday that his footy mates would be cheering him on.
“We have a Facebook group and have a bit of banter going on there at the moment,” he said.
“I’ve known him since he was a young bloke when he was playing for the Burleigh Bears.”
Mr Gundry did not want to talk about Webb’s court date as “it is a private matter”.
He said Webb had taken a break from footy and was expected to play again once he was finished on the show. “He needs to get through whatever is happening on TV first,” he said.
“He’s a fantastic bloke. It’s going to be one to watch.”