Failed pub king Jon Adgemis’ new hustle after $1.8B bankruptcy… Plus, Fox Sports host’s pearler of an excuse to colleagues after messy TV break-up – and wedding bells for Jewish power couple: THE GROUP CHAT

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Join Lucy Manly in The Group Chat for the latest Australian celebrity and society news – you’ll hear the buzz before anyone else!

Bankrupt? Don’t sweat it

Bondi’s Slow House sauna is famous for a few things – like social media stars and people claiming to cleanse their bodies while still glued to their phones – but I definitely didn’t expect to find a 6:30 AM investment seminar led by a pub owner who’d gone bankrupt.

However, my source claims this is exactly what occurred on Monday. Apparently, Jon Adgemis, a former hospitality executive who fell from grace, was seen speaking with a group of young, athletic men at a bathhouse, enthusiastically trying to sell them a new business idea.

Be careful, lads. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

My source tells me the unexpected mentoring session continued at Common Supply, a very expensive café in Bondi, where Adgemis apparently bought avocado toast for everyone – around 25 orders in total.

This happened only two months after Adgemis went bankrupt. The Australian Taxation Office stepped in to manage his bankruptcy proceedings, appointing their own trustee – it’s similar to attempting to handle your own bankruptcy and ultimately being replaced by someone else in charge.

I’ve been following his story for years, and honestly, it’s like something out of a movie! Everything seemed so glamorous – he was always flashing expensive cars and living this incredibly lavish life. But digging a little deeper, you find out it was all built on credit cards and a failing business. It turns out he racked up a massive amount of debt – over $1.8 billion! It’s the biggest personal bankruptcy Australia has ever seen. And the way he structured everything, with all those companies… it was just so complicated and honestly, a little mind-boggling. It’s a total train wreck, but I can’t look away!

At the height of his success, Adgemis owned 22 pubs and hotels and aimed to become a major competitor to Justin Hemmes, the CEO of Merivale.

A recent bankruptcy report by Andrew Yeo at Pitcher Partners reveals that the individual anticipates earning $490,000 annually from a new, currently unnamed, employer. Let’s hope this new job includes a benefit for sauna access!

Judging by his recent time with friends in Bondi, it seems the former KPMG consultant – who has dated models like Cheyenne Tozzi and Megan MacKenzie – still knows how to make a good impression and bounce back.

Saunas. Finance bros. Smashed avo. The phoenix rises – and he rises early.

‘We were on a break’ 

Fox Sports personality Jake Duke has remained relatively quiet since his public breakup with Seven presenter Grace Fitzgibbon nearly two years ago, a split that was a major topic of conversation among media insiders at the time.

According to reports, the couple’s relationship began to fall apart in February 2024 after Duke received a late-night phone call from Tiffany Salmond, a reporter for the New Zealand Warriors.

According to sources close to the situation, a late-night conversation led to a major argument, causing Fitzgibbon to quickly move out of the home she shared in Freshwater.

A photo she took of stacked cardboard boxes, filled with memories from their life together, quickly became a hot topic within the industry.

Salmond, who was working for Fox Sports at the time, reportedly told friends she wasn’t aware Duke was in a relationship, and we aren’t implying that she was lying.

The latest news is that Duke apparently confided in friends and coworkers back then that he and Fitzgibbon were simply ‘on a break,’ while his encounter with Salmond was just a quick kiss. What a relief!

In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald in July, Salmond explained that Duke had told her he was single, which is why she felt comfortable calling him after a night out.

Duke emerged from it all relatively unscathed. The same can’t be said for Salmond.

Throughout 2024, she worked as a freelancer for Fox Sports and Triple M. This year, she relocated from Auckland to Bondi.

No contract was signed, but she claims she was promised more work if she based herself in Sydney.

After months without any work offers, she believes she was unfairly excluded by a close-knit group within sports media. She thinks her growing popularity on social media made some people uncomfortable and led to her being blacklisted.

It’s unclear if she’ll return to television, but she’s currently staying relevant thanks to her popular posts on Instagram.

Mimi’s gets grilled

As a longtime fan of Mimi’s in Coogee, I’ve always considered it the place to be for Sydney’s social scene. But I’m hearing whispers that a new spot might be challenging its reign as the ultimate destination for those glamorous air kisses!

Chris Lucas’s Grill Americano, a new steakhouse at 1 Chifley Square, is quickly becoming a popular spot for Sydney’s trendiest diners.

I actually saw fashion designer Pip Edwards and actor Jack Charles having dinner at the restaurant earlier this week.

Food lovers are already excited about the wood-fired breads, fresh, handmade pastas, and perfectly cooked steak. Surprisingly, despite being a stylish spot in the city center, it’s actually quite affordable.

People who care about their reputation don’t usually talk about how much things cost at restaurants, but it’s becoming well-known that Grill Americano is more affordable than Mimi’s.

‘You can even get a good bottle of wine there for $70.’ Ladies, say no more.

Ruby’s a jewel in the crown for Gavin

Australia’s top real estate agent is reportedly getting married, and the ceremony is expected to be a significant event at Central Synagogue.

As a bit of a lifestyle observer, I’m hearing lovely things about Gavin Rubinstein – you might know him from Luxe Listings Sydney – and his new girlfriend, Ruby Adler. Apparently, he’s completely fallen for her! She’s a British socialite, and sources say he’s absolutely smitten. It’s always wonderful to see people finding happiness!

People close to the Jewish community in the eastern suburbs believe Gavin, 34, will propose marriage next year. Friends say he’s finished with being a bachelor and is now looking for a serious relationship.

The well-known real estate agent, who also attended Moriah College, quickly won Ruby’s heart in July, shortly after she ended her relationship with her co-star from the show Made in Chelsea, Reza Amiri.

According to a source, he traveled all over Europe with Ruby, moving between yachts and reportedly spending a lot of money on her.

People now think she’s living with Gavin in Sydney and enjoying a comfortable, fashionable life in the city’s eastern suburbs.

Ruby and Gavin first crossed paths ten years ago while on vacation in Mykonos, but they didn’t begin dating until recently.

The Mail reported that Gavin apparently bought a completely new wardrobe for his girlfriend after she moved to Australia.

He’s incredibly generous – we’ve heard he even offered to fly one of Ruby’s friends all the way from England to spend the Australian summer with them.

  • Additional reporting by Mary Mrad
 

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2025-11-27 15:35