Issue Date:  -  Thursday, 1 September 2005

Misleading model promoters face further fines - Peter and Katharina Holz guilty of misleading Perth teens

The husband and wife team that operates IFMO-Profoto of Hemmingway Drive in Westfield has again felt the sting of justice.

Renee Peter and Katharina Isobell Holz who are also known as running International Freelance Models Organisation (IFMO) were today found guilty on ten charges of making false representations in the Perth Magistrates Court.

Mr Holz was convicted on four counts whilst Mrs Holz was convicted on six counts, all relating to making false representations about the availability of future modelling work.

On similar charges in January of 2001, Mr Holz was fined $6,000 plus costs of $4,000 and ordered to pay restitution of $1,825 to three of his victims. He unsuccessfully appealed this conviction in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

In giving his decision today, Magistrate Jeremy Packington said the defendants had made over-arching representations regarding the availability of work overseas.

But Magistrate Packington said that the defendants did not have reasonable grounds to make their representations and he found their evidence to be “incredible”.

The magistrate will hear submissions on penalty on 11 October 2005.

The department is seeking substantial fines and costs, and restitution to the victims for the money they handed over to the couple as a result of the misrepresentations.

The defendants face a maximum fine of $6000 for each breach of the Fair Trading Act.

“We are very pleased that the Magistrate has handed down a guilty verdict and we will now await the decision on penalty,” Department of Consumer and Employment Protection Director of Policy and Education Gary Newcombe.

Mr Newcombe said Consumer Protection has applied for an interlocutory injunction in the Supreme Court to restrain the couple from behaviour that is considered to put consumers at risk. The application was heard in August and the decision was reserved.

If granted, the injunction would stop the couple representing themselves as “model consultants” or “talent scouts”; being affiliated with the “International Freelance Model Organisation”; and soliciting money for modelling work without first giving a potential customer a copy of an explanatory letter.

Telephone 1300 30 40 54 or email consumer@docep.wa.gov.au