Luke Hemmings: Whitefox Recruitment boss who posted selfies with David Koch, Samantha Armytage and Roxy Jacenko facing fresh fraud charges
A recruitment manager who left a trail of debts across Australia and posted selfies with celebrities including David Koch and Roxy Jacenko has been arrested on new fraud charges.
Luke Hemmings, 30, was charged with three fraud offences relating to the dishonest extortion of goods worth about $100,000 on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.
Queensland Police have arrested Hemmings, the director of Whitefox Recruitment, following a search warrant at his Southport office and will appear in court next month. Gold Coast Bulletin reported.
Hemmings had previously been known as a failed businessman, having left behind a series of debts from several failed companies.
A court has ordered that another staffing agency, Lambert Willcox Group, which was run by Hemmings, be closed because of a $170,000 debt.
Hemmings was also the director of another company, Coceptive Recruitment, which went bankrupt in 2021, owing $760,000 to creditors.
The company previously operated as Whitefox Recruitment Canberra after Hemmings co-founded the companies with his mother in 2019.
In August 2023, he moved the company to the Gold Coast, seeking new growth opportunities.
Hemmings (pictured left) used selfies with several celebrities, including public relations queen Roxy Jacenko (pictured), to promote his company in a sponsored media article published in 2023
Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting the latest fraud charges are linked to the failed companies.
Hemmings declined to comment on the new fraud allegations when contacted by Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday evening.
“I am exercising my right to remain silent. Please contact my attorney for comment,” he said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Hemmings’ lawyer and police for further comment.
The former radio DJ and real estate agent used selfies with former Sunrise presenters David Koch and Samantha Armytage to promote his business in a sponsored online media article in 2023.
He was also photographed with public relations queen Roxy Jacenko, but the trio claimed not to even know him.
Former Sunrise presenter David Koch (pictured right) claimed he does not know Hemmings after the recruitment director (pictured left) claimed he had previously had contact with the financial journalist
Just two months before moving to Queensland, Hemmings called himself a business leader in an article for Canberra City News. He outlined his ambitious ambitions to become the most successful director of a recruitment agency in the nation’s capital and boasted of his celebrity connections.
He said he had overcome numerous setbacks, including a life-changing event that “nearly shattered my dreams” and cast a dark shadow over his future.
“Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the country’s top operators, including Samantha Armytage, David Koch and Roxy Jacenko,” the May 2023 article said.
Hemmings told Daily Mail Australia that the Canberra article was an accurate portrayal of his interactions with public figures, adding that he had drawn inspiration from Koch, Armytage and Jacenko.
“I didn’t want to give the impression that I was making personal friendships, nor did I want to unnecessarily advertise myself,” he said.
He added that it was important to note that the selection of photographs used was made by Canberra City News.
He also admitted that he may not have a personal friendship with Ms Jacenko, but confirmed that their paths have crossed professionally.
Hemmings responded to the allegations last November to the Daily Mail Australia after he was exposed on the front page of a local Gold Coast newspaper as a failed music promoter, real estate agent and businessman.
The publication also referenced historical claims that he was once accused of faking his own death.
Hemmings is pictured taking a photo with Samantha Armytage
It has also been reported that Hemmings has previously been known as Dene Broadbelt, Lucas Hemmings, Dene Musillon, Dene Morgan, Harrison O’Connor, Harrison Eyles, Nic Lloyd and Clay O’Connor.
Hemmings stressed at the time that the recent “increased media attention” had not had a negative effect on his business.
He admitted that the reports about his troubled past “brought to light issues dating back to 2012”, but stressed that the effect on his business had only been positive.
“Interestingly, despite its questionable intentions, this increased media attention has had a positive impact on my business,” he added.
Whitefox Recruitment is described as an agency that is ‘changing the perception and landscape of recruitment on the Gold Coast’.
“We don’t just post new jobs, cross our fingers and hope for the best. We create and execute bespoke campaigns, refining them as we go,” the website states.
Earlier this month, a post was made on the company’s Facebook page listing some of his recent accomplishments.
Hemmings has reportedly been named the Legal Services Most Dedicated CEO of the Year and the Legal Services CEO of the Year 2024.
“Luke’s tireless dedication and unparalleled leadership have not only set the bar high, but raised it to unprecedented heights,” the statement said.
Hemmings will appear in Southport District Court on August 8.