Tina Arena provides glowing references to Guy Sebastian’s disgraced former manager
Tina Arena delivers glowing reference to Guy Sebastian’s disgraced ex-manager who was convicted of embezzling funds from the singer
An Australian singer has described a celebrity manager who embezzled more than $600,000 from Guy Sebastian ‘whom he trusted’ with ‘honesty and integrity’.
Tina Arena, 55, was one of many people to make a reference to Titus Day, who is awaiting sentencing for cheating on the Australian Idol winner.
Speaking to a court on Friday, defense barrister Dominic Twomey said the hitmaker had signed a management deal with Day and believed in his ‘prolonged success’ in the industry.
Tina Arena (pictured) was one of many people who provided a reference to Titus Day, who is awaiting sentencing for cheating on the Australian Idol winner.
“It speaks volumes for the simple reason that Ms. Arena did not come forward to retain Mr. Day’s services until he was charged with the offense that was the subject of this trial,” Mr. Toomey said.
‘He added, of course, that Mr. Day had managed Miss Arena’s talent matters for more than two years now, that he trusted her perfectly, and judged her to be a person of unquestionably good character.’
Day – who was once Sebastian’s close friend – pleaded guilty in June to embezzling money from the Australian Idol winner.
Day (pictured) – who was once Sebastian’s best friend – pleaded guilty in June to embezzling money from the Australian Idol winner.
A jury found him guilty of more than 30 of the 47 charges after deliberating for about a week in the New South Wales District Court.
Day has previously pleaded not guilty to three counts of stealing nearly $900,000 from the pop star.
The trial was marred by the death of original judge Peter Zahra, the dismissal of five jurors from a panel of 15, and Sebastian contracting Covid-19.
The court heard that Sebastian later found ‘inconsistencies’ in financial records which indicated he still owed payments during the day, and in July 2018 the performer launched a civil claim against him. Depicting Sebastian and Day
Jurors heard the astronomical figures Sebastian was paid for performances, including $494,360 to support Taylor Swift on the four-city Australian leg of her ‘The Red Tour’ in December 2013.
Sebastian charged $54,341 to sing at a wedding in Jakarta in July 2017, and McDonald’s paid the entertainer $66,000 to appear at a conference in September of that year.
The hit-maker also received $49,114.62 for singing at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium during the British and Irish Lions rugby tour in 2013.
Titus Day (pictured) was found guilty of embezzling money from his former star client Guy Sebastian. He was previously acquitted of three counts of embezzlement by a NSW District Court jury at the direction of the presiding judge.
Sebastian gave evidence that he was paid a boat, international airfare and the use of two Toyota Landcruisers for himself and his wife instead of cash payments as part of a ‘contra’ deal with the big company.
Day managed Sebastian for nearly a decade until November 2017 when the singer ended their arrangement in an acrimonious split.
The court heard that Sebastian later found ‘inconsistencies’ in financial records which indicated he still owed payments during the day, and in July 2018 the performer launched a civil claim against him.
Sebastian later went to the police which led to a trial where each man accused the other of owing him money.
Guy Sebastian (pictured with his wife Jules) has accused his former manager of stealing nearly $900,000 between 2013 and 2020. More than 30 of the 47 embezzlement charges filed against Titus Day were filed Thursday afternoon.
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