‘Fake’ charity prize among accusations
A GOLD Coast veteran support group, the family of a sick father, a golf club and a disgruntled auction bidder allege they are each owed thousands of dollars from a man who organised two fundraising events.
Daniel Clarke is accused of failing to return $2500 given to him by RedSix founder Michael Handley to book comedians and speakers for a fundraising event at the Currumbin RSL in March.
An auction bidder at the same event also alleges he is yet to receive a surf experience with greats Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson and a tour of their Balter brewery, for which he paid $2300.
At a separate event, a Gold Coast family and Lakelands Golf Club claim they are also owed money by Mr Clarke after he helped organise a golf day at Merrimac in December.
It is alleged the event raised an estimated $14,500. However, the family claims it only received $10,000 from Mr Clarke. The golf club says it has hired a debt collector to pursue Mr Clarke for a $5323 booking fee.
Mr Clarke has strongly denied all the allegations. Police and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission have been notified.
When asked to comment on Mr Handley’s allegations, Mr Clarke told the Bulletin: “I can categorically confirm that his accusations are totally false and unfounded.”
Mr Clarke said his dealings with RedSix were a business matter which he was working through with his solicitors.
When questioned about the charity golf day, Mr Clarke said the matter was being dealt with by an “exterior”. He then told the Bulletin he was too busy to talk.
Mr Handley, the head of RedSix, claims Mr Clarke offered to help organise the launch of the RedSix app in December.
Mr Clarke claimed he was an event-co-ordinator at a Gold Coast mental health charity, Mr Handley alleges.
When contacted by the Bulletin this week, the charity denied any official affiliation with Mr Clarke.
“We forwarded him booking costs and were told that comedians and speakers had been booked,” Mr Handley said.
However, just 10 days out from the 150-person event on March 29, Mr Handley claims a staff member from the venue phoned to say “they were worried there had been no contact as they needed to confirm numbers, menus, everything”.
“We had booked 150 people at $140 a head and soon realised no one had been booked. All but one of the supposed speakers weren’t even aware of the event.
“We ran around trying to put it all together. The lunch was nothing like we had hoped, but we had already sunk thousands into it.”
Mr Handley said he had given Mr Clarke $2500 to cover the booking fees.
RedSix paid the money to Mr Clarke’s business, Queensland Hot Water, whose ABN had been cancelled in April 2018.
Army veteran Cory Camps says he has been chasing Mr Clarke for months to get a surf experience he paid $2300 for at the RedSix fundraiser.
“I was texting him, would hear nothing and then would be told that he was having trouble with the managers,” Mr Camps said.
“He eventually asked me for my bank details so he could just refund the money, but I haven’t heard a thing.”
Balter Brewing Company told the Bulletin it had no knowledge of any agreement for a tour, but was aware of concerns regarding false event sales.
In December, Mr Clarke organised a charity golf day for father-of-three Casey Townsend, who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.
The Townsend family said they did not receive any of the money raised until April when they were given $10,000 and told by Mr Clarke that more funds would follow. They say the money has not arrived.