Investigative Journalism and Learning Hub - Economos ignored fourth submission about SP52948 audits on 20 December 2020

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From: SP52948 owner
To: George Venardos info@economos.com.au
Subject: FOURTH CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION FOR Strata Plan SP52948 audit on 20Dec2020
Date: 20/12/20, 2:53 pm

Dear Mr. George Venardos

Your website claims:

We believe our clients essentially want one thing: to get things done.

Our job is to create an environment for our clients where they can do what they do best – run their business.

  • This may mean that we:
  • Return correspondence quickly
  • Get compliance done – on time and on budget
  • Meet with the client regularly
  • Offer the best advice we can;
  • Stay abreast of new rules and opportunities

If we can get our job done – the client can get theirs done.


As three previous requests have been seemingly ignored, maybe the fourth one will not because it involves legal cases.

NCAT Hearing in case 20/33352 is scheduled in February 2021. It will deal with many allegations of mismanagement, financial misuse, and much more.

It would be appreciated if you would offer assistance to NCAT with simple evidence initially:

Provide copies of UNREDACTED emails that you originally sent to Waratah Strata Management for your Audited reports for strata plan SP52948 in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The copies should be sent to ccdsydney@ncat.nsw.gov.au

Audit requirements are prescribed by the Strata Schemes Management Act and Regulation – large schemes and those with a budget exceeding $250k (budget defined under regulations).
Very obvious discrepancies and concerns for audited accounts for the previous years were collected and given to Economos (and a reply never received).

Auditor's report for FY 2020 was signed on 3 November 2020, 12 days AFTER the general meeting! As an example, there is evidence that at least three versions of Balance Sheet exist, which raise questions of quality of keeping the financials and validity of reporting and auditing:

SP52948-Balance-Sheet-extract-31Aug2020-at-1943-hours
Admin Fund             $233,330.15
Capital Works Fund $709,724.06

SP52948-Balance-Sheet-extract-dated-4Sep2020-sent-in-agenda-for-AGM-on-30Sep2020
Admin Fund              $232,620.15
Capital Works Fund  $699,824.06            

SP52948-Balance-Sheet-extract-allegedly-approved-by-Economos-3Nov2020
Admin Fund             $231,788.69               
Capital Works Fund $699,824.06


Thank you.


‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Sunday, December 22, 2019 1:58 PM, SP52948 owner wrote:

Good afternoon,

This is the third and final attempt to communicate with Economos in regards to alleged audited accounts for strata plan SP52948.

Many differences between audited Income & Expenditure Report presented for FY 2018 at AGM 2018 and AGM 2019 (found in 10 minutes of going through spreadsheets) were found.

Two serious data losses (In April/May 2018) and ransomware attack in February 2019 happened to SP52948 strata file at Waratah Strata Management. The explanations by Waratah Strata Management how the lossed occurred have lot of holes and need to be clarified.

On 16 March 2019, the Treasurer of the EC secretly tried to rerospectively avoid Treasurer duties and responsibilities after announcement of alleged ransomware attack on 1 February 2019.

At AGM 2019, when asked about alleged lost strata files and differences in financial reports, Waratah Strata Management Director Mr. Robert Crosbie simply repied that there was no need to deal with them because Economos conducted the audit in FY 2018 and 2019 and Economos guaranteed the quality of the report. 

In addition, by EC member's own statement at AGM on 17 October 2019, between 10 and 20 thousand dollars was not collected for unpaid levies (and 10% simple interest per each year) for second gas collection.


Even a layman could easily see that many errors exist, which should raise a valid concern.

Would you please comment?

Best wishes,


‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Sunday, September 1, 2019 8:15 PM, SP52948 owner wrote:

Some of attempts to reason with Waratah Strata Management...

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Saturday, August 31, 2019 5:38 PM, SP52948 owner wrote:

Hi,

Firstly, apologies for the unsolicited email.

It has been generated in earnest effort to find the details of suspected financial mismanagement in strata plan SP52948. These are very serious allegations. We hope Economos can shed some light, namely, if they had knowledge of strata file losses in 2018 and 2019 (brief details below) and if all strata files (including invoices) were made available to your office before AGM 2018 (and 2017 if Economos was involved in that year too).

Economos is encouraged to respond in good faith.

All statements listed below are backed by indisputable  evidence.

a) Based on documentary evidence, Economos was engaged to provide audit report for SP52948 through Waratah Strata Management on 18 October 2018.

On the same day, Annual General Meeting was held, without disclosure of the audit to any of 218 owners in the complex.

The audit report for 2017 was never disclosed to owners and not made available, so it is still an open issue who conducted it.

b) Police initiated investigation about what was alleged to be multiple cases of insurance fraud and false statements in Statutory Declaration to Consumer, Trader, and Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT, now NCAT) and District Court in early 2018.

Waratah Strata Management, upon Police request, provided them with the USB key with strata files in March 2018. The USB key had originally been handed over by BCS Strata Management when their contract was terminated on 1 February 2017.

The USB key did not contain any of the crucial files (eight emails listed in Statutory Declaration to CTTT and District Court in 2013/2014) and the Police could not locate them during the initial search.

Waratah Strata Management failed to warn the Police that they had been given the ONLY copy of the USB key. In other words, Waratah Strata Management allegedly never made a copy of it or protected owners corporation financial and other files.

Police somehow "misplaced the USB key" and that makes SP52948 liable for loss of strata records for any period before 1 February 2017.

This information was withheld from owners until 12 March 2019. In period between April 2018 to 12 March 2019 (almost 11 months), Waratah Strata Management hid information from owners that the lost USB key allegedly contained all strata files (including financials, emails, legal cases, insurance claims, and invoices) for period up to 1 February 2017.

Waratah Strata Management lack of proper data protection (no backups) caused loss of all strata files for any period prior to 1 February 2017.

c) At Annual General Meeting in October 2018, Waratah Strata Management was requested to provide the Police with the requested files and also seek those files from Solicitor Adrian Mueller.

Waratah Strata Management deliberately removed those Motions from voting, effectively illegally disallowing owners from taking action.

d) On 1 February 2019, Waratah Strata Management was allegedly attacked by ransomware and lost most of SP52948 files (again). This information was only reported to owners on 12 March 2019.

There were three versions of what was lost (one given to owners, one to Fair Trading NSW, and one to a single owner).

The admission by Waratah Strata Management that most of financial files were lost in the alleged ransomware is extraordinary.

e) On 31 May 2019, an owner conducted document search at Waratah Strata Management and found MOST of strata files missing, including almost all invoices and financials. Some of the missing files:
  • Electronic documents were almost non-existent and cover only partially period January to May 2019.
  • Hard copies of strata files did not have most of files for the last seven years. Of special importance were:
  • Missing all cash book receipts for financials years between 2012 and 2019,
  • Missing balance sheet updated to 31 st of May 2019,
  • Missing auditor’s report for FY 2017,
  • Missing almost all invoices for financial years between 2012 and 2019,
  • Missing most of insurance claims for financial years between 2012 and 2019,
  • Missing cash book payments for all financial years between 2012 and 2019, with exception of FY 2018 and part of FY 2019 (period between 1 September 2018 and 2 May 2019),
  • Missing most of legal files: and Fair Trading/CTTT/District Court for years between 2012 and 2019,
  • Missing most of emails for years between 2012 and 2019,
  • Missing most of documents listed in  request sent before the document search,
  • Missing current Strata Roll,
  • Missing audit of items that are not common property any longer,
  • Missing full audit of owners with second gas connections,
  • Missing tenders for strata management, building manager, elevator maintenance and upgrades, and electricity supply renewal,
  • Missing tax returns (only two files found),
  • Only eight entries were found in the cheque book for last seven years and older cheque books were not found.
  • and much more.
Waratah Strata Management and EC members refused to respond to the complaints about missing files and withheld this information from owners. In short, MOST of strata files were missing and repeated requests ignored.

f) In May 2019, Fair Trading NSW finally opened investigation about Waratah Strata Management. This information is withheld from owners by Waratah Strata Management.

g) On 14 July 2019, Waratah Strata Management was asked direct questions about data loss and the risks.

They were approached to provide details if ATO was notified about data losses in 2018 and 2019, exact dates when data losses happened, proof if privacy data loses were reported, and so on.

They declined to respond.

h) On 11 August 2019, Waratah Strata Management was asked to disclose information if EC members had been notified about two events for loss of SP52948 strata files in a timely manner.

This time more questions were asked, including, if Economos was notifed about lost USB key at any time before audit in October 2018 or later,  if insurance compnaies were notified in 2018 and 2019, and much more.

They declined to respond.

i) During 2018/2019, four Police events were raised by us for stalking, attempts to intimidate, and bullying in the complex by maintenance staff (with full knowledge by Waratah Strata Management):

26 March 2018
26 October 2018
14 November 2018
11 August 2019

Waratah Strata Management refused to notify the owners or take any action.