The company behind motivational speaker Tony Robbins’ events in Australia still owes tens of thousands of dollars in refunds to disgruntled customers for shows that were cancelled four years ago.
Success Resources Australia, the booking operator for speakers such as Virgin founder Richard Branson and Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki, owes around $300,00 to dozens of Robbins’ fans.
The company has promised on multiple occasions that it will refund the money for tickets to the self-help guru’s shows that were cancelled during the Covid-19 pandemic – but it has since gone silent.
Frustrated ticket-holders have tried all avenues to recoup their cash but their pleas have repeatedly fallen on deaf ears – with some claiming they’re being offered refunds only if they agree to sign non-disclosure agreements.
Daily Mail Australia spoke to three fans of Robbins who were still owed almost $10,000 each.
The company behind motivational speaker Tony Robbins’ events in Australia still owes tens of thousands in refunds to disgruntled customers for a show which was cancelled four years ago (pictured: Tony Robbins)
One former fan of Robbins (pictured) said he was ‘disappointed’ the self-help guru had not done more to force Success Resources to pay people back
Jarrod Jones, 52, who is based in Brisbane, bought tickets for himself and his then fiance to Robbins’ event Date With Destiny on the Gold Coast in 2020 for $9,900.
It was cancelled during the pandemic but he is yet to see a single cent of his money.
‘It seems so black and white. How can a company fail to provide a service but then refuse to give a refund?’ Mr Jones told Daily Mail Australia.
‘It’s a pretty good business model if there’s no legal retribution.’
Mr Jones, who works in IT consultancy and has a performance coaching business, took Success Resources to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal on three separate occasions but the company failed to turn up to any of the hearings.
He is now prepared to take them to the Supreme Court.
Mr Jones said it was ‘incredibly disappointing’ that Robbins had not done more to help his fans receive refunds.
Success Resources still proudly displays Robbins front and centre on its website (pictured)
Lisa Warwick (pictured) from the Gold Coast is yet to receive a refund for the $9,995 she spent on a Date With Destiny event in 2020 which never took place
‘It just seems so unjust that there’s certain high wealth individuals that seem to be untouchable and have a different law that they’re beholden to compared to everybody else,’ he said.
‘You could guarantee that if you or I did this, we’d be very quickly hauled over the coals and forced to pay it back or liquidate your house and whatever else.’
Meanwhile, Lisa Warwick, 62, from the Gold Coast is yet to receive a refund for the $9,995 she spent on a Date With Destiny event in 2020 which never took place.
‘Success Resources were never easy to deal with but when I wrote to them asking for a refund the correspondence just stopped. But they are still trading and taking money. They’re still solvent,’ Ms Warwick said.
Ms Warwick, who runs a plant nursery business and invests in property, has spent a total of $64,000 with Success Resources over the years.
‘The return on all of that has been remarkable so I don’t regret spending the money, but I do want my $9,995 back, thanks very much,’ she added.
It is understood Robbins has no plans to return to Australia in the near future
Mark Vaughan (pictured right at a Tony Robbins event) said he is owed nearly $11,000 from Success Resources and called on them to ‘practice what they preach’
Single father Mark Vaughan, 44, recently relocated to Townsville, in Far North Queensland, with his 12-year-old daughter.
He is owed $10,996 for two Robbins events in 2020.
‘If it was a couple grand I’d say, you know, like there’s still people I’d be burning about it but $10,996 dollars is a lot of money for anyone, especially for a single dad,’ he said.
Mr Vaughan credits Robbins with turning his life around but thinks he has not done enough to help his fans who have been left out of pocket.
‘I’m disappointed. I think he could do more,’ he said.
Success Resources still proudly displays Robbins front and centre on its website.
It is understood Robbins has completely cut ties with the company and is immensely frustrated by the delay in having the refunds approved.
The best-selling author has in the past demanded that Success Resources return the money.
However, his team failed to respond to repeated requests for comment on where he currently stands on the matter.
It is understood he has no plans to return to Australia in the near future.
Adam Glezer, who runs Consumer Champion and represents many of those still owed money, said: ‘The whole Success Resources saga has had a huge emotional, physical and financial impact on a large number of my clients who are still owed close to $300,000.’
‘At this point, there is no indication from Success Resources that they are planning on refunding the money.
Robbins is shown on stage during one of his shows. They are rarely taped or photographed and he asks audiences to sign disclaimers before entering promising that they will not film
‘From a moral standpoint, there is no justification for Success Resources not to refund their customers’ hard-earned money. The reality is that they paid for a service, and that service was not provided.’
Mr Glezer said he did not believe the fault lay with Robbins who had ‘gone above and beyond to ensure as many as many people as possible have been paid’.
‘Without him, none of my clients would have been paid so far. This is 100 percent on Success Resources,’ Mr Glezer added.
A spokesperson for Success Resources said they had offered all ticket-holders ‘the opportunity to attend both in person and virtual events for purchases made prior to Covid’.
‘As you can appreciate, Covid caused huge challenges to everyone and particularly the live events industry,’ the spokesperson added.
‘We are delighted that live events have returned and extremely grateful for the patience and support of our clients.’
The company said any customers who were still owed refunds could write to them.
