A Brazilian woman who claims she was effectively forced into sexual servitude by WiseTech boss Richard White is receiving specialist assistance from an anti-slavery group as she pursue the billionaire in court.
The revelation comes as billions of dollars continue to be wiped from Mr White’s personal fortune amid prolonged and repeated scandals involving his explosive sex life.
The self-professed ‘tech nerd’ founded the Global logistics software firm in the mid-1990s before growing it into Australia’s largest technology company with a value in excess of $32billion.
But since the saga broke last year, WiseTech Global’s share price has plummeted from around $137 to around $90, scrubbing an estimated $6billion from Mr White’s personal wealth in the process.
Mr White has consistently offloaded shares in the business, telling investors it was because there was demand from shareholders for more stock.
Nine Newspapers reported that he sold almost 3.6million shares between the start of October and December 20.
He offloaded a further 1.87 million shares since December 24, netting almost $230million from the sale.
In the latest controversy to engulf the software mogul since October, the billionaire and his wife Zena Nasser are currently being sued in the Federal Court by former employee Caroline Heidemann.
Richard White and his wife Zena Nasser (pictured together) are currently being sued in the Federal Court by former employee Caroline Heidemann
According to court documents, Ms Heidemann (pictured) claimed Mr White exploited her by providing her with ongoing financial support in return for sexual favours. The WIseTech boss denies this and claims they were in a consensual relationship
According to court documents, Ms Heidemann claimed Mr White exploited her by providing her with ongoing financial support in return for sexual favours.
She claimed Mr White initially ‘cultivated a personal relationship’ with her while she was employed as a ‘general hand’ by WiseTech for 15 months by ‘presenting himself as a mentor and benefactor’.
Mr White has strenuously denied the accused and said he ‘intends to vigorously defend all allegations’.
‘At no point was Ms Heidemann offered an employment contract with RealWise nor was she ever paid a salary,’ he said in a statement provided to the Australian Financial Review, which broke the original story.
‘She did not at any stage undertake formal or informal work for either Mr White or RealWise.’
It has now emerged that Ms Heidemann is receiving assistance from specialist legal centre Anti-Slavery Australia.
The Brazilian national is being represented by KMD Law & Advisory but Anti-Slavery Australia is handling the visa aspect of her claim, the paper reported.
Daily Mail Australia approached the firm, which specialises in helping ‘anyone who has experienced or is at risk of modern slavery in Australia’, for comment.
Ms Heidemann is also suing Ms Nasser (pictured), who allegedly threatened to have her deported after learning about her husband’s secret arrangement last year
It is understood she has been granted a temporary ‘justice’ visa to pursue her legal claim, which allows her to stay in Australia for up to a year.
When Ms Heidemann was made redundant during the coronavirus pandemic, Mr White allegedly arranged for her to be hired by his private company, RealWise Management.
While the Brazilian national was not paid a wage by RealWise, Mr White allegedly rented an apartment or her in Sydney’s inner south, paid for her to take English lessons and offer her ongoing financial support.
Ms Heidemann claimed in the court documents that Mr White created an environment of ‘economic dependency’ by sponsoring her for a temporary visa as a ‘business consultant’ – thus restricting her to working or him – so he could engage in ‘unlawful conduct for sexual gratification’.
She claimed Mr White ‘made it clear that financial assistance was contingent upon…[her] engaging in a personal and sexual relationship’ with him.
Ms Heidemann also alleged he subjected her to ‘degrading treatment’ by trading her financial security and immigration status or ‘compliance with his personal and sexual demands’.
Mr White conceded he had been providing Ms Heidemann with private financial support but only because they had struck up ‘a consensual personal relationship’.
Although the romance ended mid-last year, sources close to the former couple told the Australian Financial Review that he continued to help fund her lifestyle and had provided more than $500,000 in financial support since the start of their relationship.
Ms Heidemann is also suing Ms Nasser, who allegedly threatened to have her deported after learning about her husband’s secret arrangement last year.
According to Ms Heidemann’s claim, Ms Nasser sent her ‘hostile and threatening messages’ demanding she stop ‘demanding financial support’ from her husband and leave Australia or she would report her ‘sham visa’ to immigration authorities.
Two other women have also come forward to the WiseTech board with separate complaints through their lawyers about the billionaire’s allegedly inappropriate conduct.
The scandal surrounding Mr White erupted in October last year after he counter-sued former lover Linda Rogan over a $92,000 furniture bill.
The scandal surrounding Mr White erupted in October last year after he counter-sued former lover Linda Rogan (pictured) over a $92,000 furniture bill
Ms Rogan, who owns a laser clinic at Double Bay in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, claimed she initially met Mr White through his wife – only for him to offer to invest in her business in exchange for sex.
She later launched a Federal Court battle over a $13.1million mansion she claimed Mr White had bought her in Sydney’s most prestigious suburbs to live in with her three children.
Ms Rogan, who never moved into the house, claimed the tech billionaire took back the keys after his wife discovered they were in a sexual relationship.
In 2023, she successfully sought a local court order that Mr White reimburse her for $92,123 she allegedly spent on furnishing the Vaucluse mansion.
Revelations about their relationship found their way into the public domain when he had the order overturned last August.
The one-time lovers eventually reached an out-of-court settlement but, by then, all the salacious details for their romance had been laid bare.
It comes after the billionaire made headlines last year following revelations he had bought a $7million mansion for his former partner of seven years, Christine Kontos, while departing WiseTech director Christine Holman accused him of bullying and intimidation in 2019.
The ongoing saga and Mr White’s influence over the firm resulted in four independent board members quitting in protest last week.
‘This followed intractable differences in the Board and differing views around the role of the Founder and Founding CEO, Richard White,’ a notice to the Australian Securities Exchange on Monday said.
Underlining his power over the company, Mr White was appointed executive chairman two days later.
He will oversee succession planning, including finding a permanent CEO, alongside the nomination committee, WiseTech said.
‘I wanted to let you know that I am fully engaged and here for the long haul with invigorated vision, passion and a trove of new ideas to continue to build the company,’ Mr White told investors on an earnings call on Wednesday.
‘You have my absolute commitment to do everything within my power and ability to accelerate the business you have invested in and that has been so successful over the almost nine years since listing.
‘It is also important to remember that WiseTech is a globally successful product led company with over 30 years of experience.’