Australian Judge Orders the Arrest of Qintex Chairman
A judge Tuesday ordered the arrest of former Australian media millionaire Christopher Skase, whose dreams of becoming a Hollywood movie mogul crumbled last year.
Brisbane District Court Judge Ian Wylie ordered the arrest of Skase for failure to appear in court Monday. He was due to give evidence in a liquidator’s examination of failed shipbuilding company Lloyds Ships Holdings, an associate of Skase’s Qintex Australia Ltd. His lawyer said he was in Barcelona, Spain.
Wylie said it must be made clear to Skase and others that complying with a court order is a matter of public duty, not private choice.
As chairman of media and leisure conglomerate Qintex, Skase unsuccessfully attempted to take over Culver City-based MGM/UA last year.
Qintex Australia Ltd., with debts estimated at $1.6 billion ($1.3 billion U.S.), was placed in receivership last November, a few weeks after the MGM/UA deal collapsed.
Skase’s attorney told the court that his client was unable to appear because he was in Spain and had been threatened with dismissal if he left his job. The court has suppressed details of Skase’s work and address.
The lawyer said he could leave Spain on Thursday and arrive in Australia on Sunday. He did not explain why the journey would take so long.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
