Barrister’s Shocking Debt Crisis: Why a Judge Banned Him from Practicing Law
A judge has upheld a ban on barrister Salvatore Di Carlo due to his reckless handling of nearly $640,000 in debts, raising serious concerns about his fitness to practice law.
Brisbane, Australia, Salvatore Di Carlo, Debt, Barrister, Court
Di Carlo, who’s 68, tried to fight this decision in court, but it didn’t go his way. The Bar Association of Queensland argued he wasn’t fit to practice law because he broke several rules. The judge agreed, saying Di Carlo showed a total lack of respect for the court.
Back in 2018, he even forgot to mention a $4,000 fine for contempt of court. Oops! And he had some health issues he didn’t disclose, which could affect his work.
Things got worse when he was ordered to provide a financial statement after a woman claimed he still owed her $240,000 from loans. Instead of dealing with it, he declared bankruptcy and hopped on a flight to China just before his court date. Talk about dodging responsibility!
In his defense, Di Carlo claimed he thought everything would be sorted out before he left. He admitted he should have been more careful, but the judge wasn’t buying it. He pointed out that flying out of the country just days before a court appearance was the height of recklessness.
Di Carlo owes nearly $400,000 to the Australian Taxation Office, and the judge noted that while he didn’t plan to stop paying taxes forever, he was spending money on himself instead of settling his debts.
Most people expect others to honor their debts, and Di Carlo’s long history of not doing so led the judge to conclude he wasn’t fit to hold a practicing certificate. Even though some colleagues vouched for him, the judge emphasized that a person’s actions reveal their true character.