Woman who went missing allegedly helped Moses Obeid secure debt vote
Date
March 9, 2013
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Kate McClymont
Kate McClymont
Senior Reporter
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Belinda Burcham, also known as Belinda Sheehan, who has gone missing after leaving St Vincent’s Hospital 30 December 2012
Belinda Burcham … alleged to have pursued proxy votes. Photo: Supplied
Belinda Burcham, the 40-year-old whose week-long disappearance from St Vincent’s Hospital earlier this year sparked a massive social media campaign, is alleged to have procured crucial proxy votes which helped Moses Obeid avoid paying a $16.6 million debt to the City of Sydney council.
On August 9 last year, the Herald revealed Moses Obeid, the son of ALP kingpin Eddie, had his debt to the council wiped out after smaller creditors – who included family, friends and associates – voted to accept a Deed of Company Arrangement which meant they would receive only between 1¢ and 3¢ in the dollar for the debts owed to them by his company Streetscape Projects.
The council is seeking to have the arrangement overturned, claiming it is neither fair nor reasonable. At a hearing in the Supreme Court this week it was alleged that Ms Burcham contacted Streetscape’s former cleaner, Mary Kit, the day before Streetscape’s creditors met to vote on whether the company would be put into liquidation, the preferred choice of the council, which was the major creditor.
Peter Gosnell, from website Sydney Insolvency News, who attended the hearing before Justice Paul Brereton, reported that the council contended Ms Burcham advised the former cleaner that the $690 debt owed to her by Streetscape would be paid in full if the cleaner agreed to direct her proxy to vote for the deed of arrangement.
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The court also heard that before the meeting Ms Burcham also met creditor Maria Costa, who was told by Ms Burcham that Costa Enterprises’ $1000 debt would also be paid in full, rather than the $30 she might receive as a creditor, if she agreed to direct her proxy in favour of the arrangement, Mr Gosnell reported.
Moses Obeid has disputed the council’s claims in documents filed with the court.
Ms Burcham, a long-time friend of Mr Moses and his wife, Nikki, has been employed as the office manager at the Obeid headquarters in Birkenhead Point. Ms Burcham will face Waverley court on Monday charged with several break and enter offences.
One of the council’s arguments to have the arrangement overturned is that some of the creditors had an association with Mr Obeid.
Among the unsecured creditors are Mr Obeid’s sister, Gemma Vrana, and several associates including the Obeid family accountant, Sid Sassine, and developer Rocco Triulcio. Both gave evidence in the long-running corruption inquiry which is investigating claims that the Obeid family made $30 million from a rigged government tender. Another creditor listed was law firm Colin Biggers & Paisley. Two partners from the firm were also grilled last year by the Independent Commission Against Corruption about their association with the Obeid family.
At the August creditors’ meeting, administrators Ozem Kassem and Robert Kite, of the accountancy firm Cor Cordis, used their casting vote to side with the small creditors rather than put the company into liquidation. Streetscape had a licence from the council to manufacture multifunction poles, which hold banners, street lights and traffic lights.
Describing Mr Obeid’s conduct as ”dishonest and fraudulent”
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/woman-who-went-missing-allegedly-helped-moses-obeid-secure-debt-vote-20130308-2fr2o.html#ixzz2MzSZZmmX