Ken Vernon

March 30th, 2009

A FORMER Gold Coast Pentecostal pastor who believes salvation lies in speaking in tongues is not talking about allegations he owes millions to fellow believers.

Glenn Duker was a leader of the Gold Coast branch of the Christian fundamentalist sect Revival Centres International, but he had another side -- dealing in the property market, buying and selling houses, and leaving a trail of debts amounting to almost $40 million.

Mr Duker filed for bankruptcy in January following the collapse of one his companies, RVP Group Limited. His creditors are angry and frustrated that he has proved so evasive as they chase their money.

The former Mermaid Beach millionaire is reportedly living in Melbourne.

According to a liquidator's report by Bruce Gleeson, of Jones Partners Chartered Accountants, released last Friday, there may even be grounds for more serious legal action against Mr Duker, his wife Lorilea and his former company auditor Allan Walker.

Mr Gleeson had to force information out of the Dukers via public examinations in the NSW Supreme Court in November last year.

"The level of assistance and co-operation provided by the directors (and the external accountant) has been minimal," says Mr Gleeson's Information Package for Creditors.

"My initial and subsequent demands for financial information pertaining to the company, as well as the location and delivery up of books and records, were ignored."

Mr Gleeson's examination of the Dukers' affairs suggest they were trading while insolvent as far back as 2005 and that 'there are grounds to establish a case against the company directors'.

Mr Gleeson says Glenn Duker would have known he had no money from July, 2005, and yet he continued to chalk up debts.

The liquidator is seeking funds of up to $200,000 to pursue legal action against Mr Walker because of his involvement in the demise of the Duker financial empire.

But it is not just another case of a property tycoon falling on hard times and taking his creditors with him.

There are some who believe the solicitor and now ex-pastor targeted fellow believers from his Gold Coast congregation in some of his schemes. Internet forums and media reports last year canvassed several disgruntled church members.

Some had huge amounts, but Mr Duker walked away from the debts.

Experts trying to unravel the intricately tangled web of companies controlled by the Dukers say Glenn Duker could end up being one of the biggest bankrupts in recent Australian history.

Mr Duker's activities have been under the spotlight before, with the Australian Securities Investments Commission admitting it investigated the pastor's business dealings in 2006. However, most of the people directly involved in the investments were from Mr Duker's own church and declined to offer statements so the investigation stalled.

The Revival church, which sprang up in Melbourne and has since spread overseas, says on its website that: "We are a church of people who have come together following an amazing personal experience of the power and presence of God. Each individual church member has received the Holy Spirit with the same conclusive evidence accepted in Bible days -- we speak in other tongues."

But Mr Duker is not speaking publicly to anyone.

He was unable to be contacted by The Bulletin and his creditors say he will not return calls.

He is no longer at his prestigious Hilda Street address in Mermaid Beach, which he sold for $2 million in June last year, and he does not attend the Revival church at Mermaid Beach any more.

The Dukers set up an intricate web of companies -- including literally His and Her companies (His Company Pty Ltd; Her Company Pty Ltd) -- that their profits were funnelled through.

The liquidator's report said Mr Duker mainly utilised what are called 'joint venture agreements' (JVAs). A characteristic of such a scheme is that the 'partner' who sells his house for instance, would remain -- often without precise knowledge -- the registered proprietor of the 'sold' property and at the same time the principle borrower on a mortgage and hence liable if for any reason the mortgage is not paid.

In many instances people entering such agreements with Mr Duker did not obtain independent legal advice before signing agreements.

Ken Vernon

March 30th, 2009

GLENN Duker is not likely to be disowned by his Gold Coast church because of a string of bad debts.

Pastor Simon Longfield of Revival Centres International's main Melbourne centre said the church 'does not throw people out of the church just because they are bankrupt'.

"The church's position is that we have no idea if Glenn is one of the good guys or one of the bad guys -- that is up to the courts to decide," he said.

"What I can tell you is that the real story, as far as I know it, is nothing like it has been portrayed."

According to Pastor Longfield, Mr Duker is merely one of a number of victims of the sudden financial crash of last year that brought down any number of investors and spruikers who assumed the boom times would go on and property would become endlessly more expensive.

The next creditors meeting is in Sydney on April 22 when liquidator Bruce Gleeson will explain his findings to those owed money by the Dukers. He expects things to get nastier from here on.

"Over the next 12 months, the main activities I will be focusing on are as follows," he reports.

"Assuming funding is obtained (for litigation), commencing recovery actions against (former company auditor Allan) Walker regarding a claim for negligence and conflict of interest.

"Commencing trading whilst insolvent actions against Mr Glenn Duker (his bankrupt estate), Ms Lorilea Duker and Mr Matthew Duker (Glenn's brother).

"Evaluating and if appropriate conducting further investigations/public examinations of other persons who may have aided the company in procuring funding for individuals that it had JVAs (joint venture agreements) with and did not disclose commission trials."