Debra Lawry Allegedly Flees Overseas Amid Fraud Accusations

A Victorian real estate agent, Debra Lawry, is alleged to have fled overseas after being accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from clients and employees. Operating under the name Debra Watchman, Lawry reportedly emptied the company’s trust accounts and misled other agents by claiming she was in the hospital while traveling to Europe at the end of last month.

One of her clients, primary school teacher Shay Preston, had just sold her family home. Although she received her deposit back from Ray White, the process incurred thousands of dollars in additional expenses. “It was very hard, very anxious, very stressful,” Preston shared with 9News. “It’s been a very stressful month.”

Staff from Ray White Romsey, located north of Melbourne, claim they are owed tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid superannuation, leave entitlements, and commissions, including those related to Preston’s sale. “I felt horrible; they were doing a job for us, and regardless of who they worked under, they fulfilled their responsibilities,” Preston said. Employees also discovered that Lawry had been attempting to book long-term accommodation in Italy after finding her office cleared out.

“I hope she steps one toe out of wherever she is and they get her, because she has hurt a lot of people,” Preston added. Prior to Lawry’s disappearance, Consumer Affairs Victoria had announced plans to suspend or cancel her estate licenses, citing her failure to comply with auditing obligations over the past four years.

In response to the situation, Ray White stated that it is committed to ensuring all owed commissions to staff are paid.

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