The family of Oliver Curtis are coming out in force in a bid to help him avoid jail time despite having been found guilty of insider trading.
Having had his sentencing date pushed back by a week, the former investment banker’s father, Nick Curtis AM, has joined the 30-year-old’s wife, media mogul Roxy Jacenko, in writing an impassioned letter to the sentencing judge in a bid to influence the outcome of the case, calling his son’s involvement in the amassing of over $1.4 million illegally “a sad incident of his youth”.
Roxy Jacenko and Oliver Curtis outside court. Source: Getty.
"At the time of the events described at the trial, Oliver was a brash youth who turned 22 in August of 2007. They have had a profound impact on his life, and have clearly marked him deeply. They do not, however, describe the man I know today," Nick Curtis wrote, continuing, "They do not define who he is."
The letter comes following the release of Jacenko's letter to Judge McCallum, which says Oliver is the primary caregiver of their two children Pixie and Hunter, and that without him, she would struggle to run her business and raise her children adequately.
Oliver Curtis with daughter, 4-year-old Pixie. Source: Getty.
Over the course of three pages, Nick Curtis outlines his personal and professional relationship (Oliver currently works at the Vice President of his father's investment advisory business) with his son, as well as the effect the charges and trial has had on him.
"Over time, Oliver became more withdrawn and private than the man he had been prior to the investigation," adding later, "I believe that the long term pressure of his public exposure as a possible insider trader has had a marked psychological effect on Oliver and fundamentally changed his way of engaging with the world."
Curtis and Jacenko with their two-year-old son, Hunter. Source: Instagram.
The father also said that he worries for his son's professional advancement.
"The fact that Oliver will be banned from managing companies for a significant period of time as a result of a conviction will also make it very difficult for Oliver to have a career with any large corporate entity and to forge a career outside our family businesses and relationships."
Curtis with Jacenko and their two children, Hunter and Trixie. Source: Instagram.
Oliver Curtis is scheduled to receive his sentencing on Friday 24 June.
Curtis' co-conspirator in the insider trading scheme - which allowed for lavish international holidays, a $3,000 a week apartment in Bondi, cars and motorbikes - John Hartman, was forced to serve a prison sentence for the crime.
Top Comments
I am sick to death of this entire family to be honest.
These letters for Olover Curtis have shades of the US Stanford Uni student Brock Turner - because this man is white rich and privileged he should get special treatment
It has always been thus over there. Probably happens here too
They really don't and anyone who works in the judicial system could tell you that. Rapists, drug addicts on B&E or aggravated assault charges, the average white-collar fraud such as bookkeeper stealing from a company in the order of $50K - at sentencing, character references are usually tendered by defence counsel for all of these people and they are typically the same: family members or close friends, and bring up the same matters - it has affected them mentally, they are remorseful as f*^k and a custodial sentence will have a detrimental effect on them personally as well as deprive their children of their carer - sometimes a sick elderly parent or sibling if they don't have kids. The outrage being directed at Oliver Curtis' family doing exactly what family of any other convicted criminal in Australia does to try and get their loved one out of a jail sentence by appropriate statements to the court says more about the bias and prejudice of the people expressing said outrage than anything else. Speaking personally, I think the same thing about every character reference ever tendered on behalf of any criminal: yeah, they were a stellar citizen, blah blah blah, pity about breaking the law and that.
I agree with Bitten. I've had to write one for a friend for a drink driving charge. Pretty common, stock standard character reference letter!
The problem is in both of these cases, I'm yet to see any evidence of remorse..