Kerry Stokes, to avoid handing over incriminating emails and messages, has been forced to agree to pay over $16 million to Nine Entertainment for the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case.

But paying the $16 million is itself an admission of financial fraud by Kerry Stokes, Ryan Stokes, 7 CEO James Warburton and 7’s Commercial Director Bruce McWilliam and others because initially the Roberts-Smith case was being funded by Channel 7 which it had no legal right to do.

Kerry Stokes signed a contract with Ben Roberts-Smith and as part of the deal Stokes has run the defamation case and even cut himself in for costs plus 15% of any payout if they won the court case. Initially Stokes used Channel 7 to fund the case which was illegal because management can only use a company’s money for the benefit of shareholders and there was no benefit for 7’s shareholders to fund Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation case.

When it was exposed that Channel 7 were paying for Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case Stokes quickly transferred the costs to his private company Australian Capital Equity (ACE) because Stokes, and the other Seven executives, knew they had committed financial fraud by putting the cost on Seven’s accounts.

When Ben Roberts Smith lost his defamation case, he could not pay the $16 million so Nine Entertainment went after Seven and Kerry Stokes for the money. The SMH reported (30/11/23):

Thousands of emails between Seven West Media executives and disgraced former SAS corporal Ben Roberts-Smith’s legal team will be released to Nine after the Federal Court dismissed an appeal by Seven against the emails’ release.

Nine Publishing, the owner of this masthead, sought the documents as part of its fight to prove ACE and Seven controlled the litigation. It sought documents, including personal emails, from Seven West Media commercial director Bruce McWilliam, Stokes, ACE, and Roberts-Smith’s legal team showing their communications about the case. (Click here to read more)

Kerry Stokes, Ryan Stokes, Bruce McWilliam and Seven’s CEO James Warburton were in big trouble because their financial fraud, and likely other criminal conduct like concealing war crimes and attempting to pervert the course of justice, was about to be exposed in the 1000’s emails and documents. So, Kerry Stokes agreed to pay up in full.

The SMH reported (11/12/23):

Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes has capitulated and agreed to pay the multimillion-dollar costs of the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation litigation, in a move that stops communications between the former soldier’s lawyers and his chief supporters at Seven from being made public.

At a surprise hearing in the Federal Court on Monday, lawyers for Stokes said his private company would pay The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald’s legal costs – estimated at more than $16 million – on an indemnity basis, which covers a higher proportion of a costs bill than the standard order. (Click here to read more)

Kerry Stokes is very hands on in legal matters as per the below transcript of one of his lawyers, Richard Keegan, in the witness box in 2017, from one of his 4 SLAPP lawsuits against me.

The below shows just how hands on Kerry Stokes is with his numerous court matters that he funds via Seven. It is relevant to the Ben Roberts-Smith matter and also the Bruce Lehrmann matter where Seven also have a legal contract with Lehrmann.

Given the public will now not see the 1000’s of emails and documents in the Roberts-Smith matter the below is probably the closest the public will come to seeing what Stokes’ personal involvement is with legal matters.

Transcript from 2017 in the Jane Doe v Dowling matter

Seven’s Chairman Kerry Stokes was thrown under a bus by his own lawyer Richard Keegan on Wednesday (1/3/2017) when Mr Keegan said under oath in the witness stand that Kerry Stokes was personally involved in the management of the Jane Doe v Shane Dowling defamation case.

Richard Keegan, a junior lawyer from Addison Lawyers, said Stokes had sent him 5 to 10 emails about the matter. But the Addisons Lawyers partner who oversaw the case was Justine Munsie. So, why was Stokes communicating with a junior lawyer? Because Stokes was hands on running the case like I have no doubt he was in the Roberts-Smith matter.

Company Chairman and Directors always try to keep as big a distance as possible away from scandals when they happen at the companies they oversee and make sure there is no paper trail showing they knew about the scandal or were involved in it.

It is very unusual that Keegan would throw Stokes under a bus and admit Kerry Stokes’ direct intervention.

Richard Keegan also confirmed that Seven West Media were paying for four women to sue me for defamation regarding the Seven – Tim Worner – Amber Harrison sex scandal. It would be Kerry Stokes who would have approved Seven paying for the women.

Two women did not work for the company anymore and shareholders should have been greatly disturbed that Seven was wasting money designed, not to protect the woman’s reputation, but to conceal the widespread fraud and corruption at Seven West Media being overseen by Kerry Stokes and Tim Worner.

Richard Keegan evidence throwing Kerry Stokes under a bus

Richard Keegan gave evidence at the Contempt of Court proceedings against me on Wednesday the 1/3/2017 in the NSW Supreme Court before Justice Ian Harrison. The Contempt proceedings were under the pseudonyms Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 because I failed to take down their names on my website as part of their defamation case against me. Two other women also commenced an application to join the defamation case against me.

Transcript:

1. Mr Keegan, you have four clients in this matter?
   A. I do, yes.
2. They’re all paying you individually?
   A. I don’t know whether they’re paying individually or all together for the one proceedings.
3. So you don’t know?
   A. That’s correct.

Later in proceedings Richard Keegan changed his tune. Did he commit perjury?

1. You don’t know who is paying?
   A. No, I don’t.
2. So is it highly likely Seven West Media, is that right?
   A. Yes.
3. It is highly likely?
   A. Yes.
4. So Seven West Media are paying for their legal fees?
   A. Yes.

It is important to confirm the fact that Seven West Media were paying for the matter for many reasons. Whoever pays for the court case controls it and that means Kerry Stokes has ultimate control as Chairman.

Richard Keegan again – Kerry Stokes heavily involved in the defamation and contempt case

1. Have you spoken to Kerry Stokes in relation to this matter?
   A. I have been in contact with him.
2. So he’s involved in this matter now?
   A. Yes, he’s concerned about the impact this is having upon his employees.
3. And Kerry Stokes, how many times have you been in contact with Kerry
   Stokes?
   A. Do you mean about these matters or ever?
4. Yeah, about this specific matter?
   A. They’re all email.
5. No, that’s fine?
   A. So I probably say five to ten emails.
6. Five to ten, maybe up to fifteen?
   A. No.
7. So five to ten?
   A. (Witness nodded.)

If Richard Keegan is saying 5 to 10 emails I would expect the real number to be a lot higher and how many phone calls have there been? Kerry Stokes is not Executive Chairman so should not have had anything to do with the case and even an Executive Chairman should not be giving instructions to a junior lawyer.

I sent an email (2/3/17) to Kerry Stokes and the Directors and asked some questions:

1. Can you explain why Seven West Media are paying for the 4 women given Seven West Media say it is a personal issue?
2. Can you explain why Seven West Media are paying for (XXXXXXXX – I wrote the actual name in the email) when she no longer works for Seven West Media?
3. Can you explain why you Mr Kerry Stokes have been communicating directly with a junior lawyer in the matter when you are not an applicant in the matter?
4. Can you Mr Kerry Stokes, advise what you said in the 5 to 10 emails to Richard Keegan.
5. Can you advise Mr Kerry Stokes, how many emails, letters and phone calls you have had with Richard Keegan, Justine Munsie and any other lawyers regarding the matter of the four women?
6. Mr Kerry Stokes, do you agree that it is a major conflict of interest for you to have anything to do with the matter of the four women given you are also suing me directly in the matter Munsie v Dowling.
7. Mr Kerry Stokes, given you are only Chairman of SWM and not executive Chairman can you explain your micro-management of the company?

Kerry Stokes and the directors never responded to the above email. Normally they had their lawyer Richard Keegan respond to my emails.

Kerry Stokes was at the time personally suing me along with his son Ryan who is also a Director of Seven West Media and their lawyer Justine Munsie and had been since 2014 and should have been nowhere near the Jane Doe v Dowling defamation case.

The below video was published on 2/6/23 but is relevant to this article: “Kerry Stokes, just like Ben Roberts-Smith, was also found to be a compulsive liar by a Federal Court judge in a case that Stokes instituted”

The above transcript showing Kerry Stokes abusing his position as Seven’s Chairman in the Jane Doe matter is only a taste of what we have missed out on not seeing the 1000’s of emails and documents in the Ben Roberts-Smith matter. But at least it takes you inside the legal world of nutter Kerry Stokes to some degree.

I lived 8 years being on the end of 4 of Kerry Stokes’ SLAPP lawsuits from 2014 to 2022 and I can guarantee that Kerry Stokes is a nutter with no morals or ethics whatsoever and that is why he is happy to finance court cases for any type of criminal if it suits his purpose.

I will have more to say soon on Kerry Stokes’ and Seven’s involvement in the Bruce Lehrmann matter.

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