Some months back, I reported on the case of John Millwood, a Tasmanian (former) millionaire and convicted paedophile. “Former” millionaire because, on the very day his victim lodged a civil claim for damages, Millwood instructed his lawyers to begin divesting his estimated $8m fortune.
So, now Millwood’s family and friends are very, very rich, but he’s “bankrupt”.
And just to really rub it in, he’s getting a taxpayer-funded pension.
A previously wealthy sex offender who divested millions in assets, avoiding a record damages payout to his victim, is receiving a taxpayer-funded pension while “stacking” bankruptcy creditors with family and associates.
I’ve had the misfortune to encounter Millwood in the flesh before his crimes became public. Even then, it was not an encounter I remember fondly. Let’s just say, a pleasant person he was not.
Apparently, he’s determined to keep proving it.
John Wayne Millwood, a 76-year-old Tasmanian former colonial art-collector who in 2016 pleaded guilty to abusing a young boy over five years in the 1980s, causing lifelong harm, declared himself bankrupt in July.
In December 2021, a judge ordered Millwood, also a former pathology practice manager, to pay his victim, known in court as ZAB, $5.3m in civil damages – a record payout for Australia.
On the day the civil claim was lodged – December 7, 2016 – Millwood began to divest his fortune, estimated by ZAB and his legal team at $8m, via the sale or gifting of assets to family and friends.
So, now he’s practically penniless.
Bankruptcy documents obtained by The Australian show Millwood – described by his trial judge as lacking any remorse and by a parole board as “narcissistic” – now claims to have just $1843 to his name.
His super fund, estimated to have been worth millions, is listed as having a zero balance, while he lists as his only income $25,678 a year in “government benefits/pensions”.
My heart bleeds.
Meanwhile, his victim is still denied justice.
Adding further insult to ZAB, Millwood claims as creditors two companies ultimately owned by his daughter, Sarah Kate Millwood, who benefited from Millwood’s earlier share and property divestments […]
Documents show Millwood’s accountant, Ken Davey’s, Findex Hobart address is the same as that listed as the registered office for the two companies ultimately owned by Sarah Millwood and listed as creditors […]
“It is completely outrageous – what a bloody joke,” said ZAB. “If someone emptied their super of millions in order to receive government welfare, we would call it social security fraud. If someone divested millions in property to avoid a liability to the ATO, we would call it tax avoidance.
“It is outrageous that Millwood has done exactly this to avoid paying a child abuse survivor damages awarded by the courts.
“He will not get away with it. It would make a laughing-stock of our entire system.
“Taxpayers will likely share my outrage. Here is a convicted paedophile, now bankrupt, continuing … his previous lifestyle, while collecting taxpayer-funded welfare.”
Millwood, his daughter Sarah and Mr Davey did not return messages.
It’s some small consolation to outraged Tasmanians, I guess, that Millwood has been expunged from the public sphere. A public sculpture in Launceston has had his name struck from it. A blow to the “narcissistic” Millwood’s ego may be some justice, perhaps, but while his victim is denied compensation by legal bastardry, justice remains denied.
“What kind of person goes to these lengths to avoid paying damages to child abuse victims? What kind of people are happy to assist?”
The Australian