Updated ,first published
Media mogul Antony “The Cat” Catalano’s business and wealth empire began to unravel on Monday, just days after he was charged with assault, false imprisonment and threatening to kill a woman.
A former Domain chief executive and regional newspaper boss has had his $30 million Melbourne mansion pulled off the market by selling agents citing “feelings” over alleged assault.
The Star has previously reported that police attended the penthouse in St Kilda’s Saint Moritz building on Thursday evening, and the entrepreneur returned there after being granted bail at a court hearing on Friday.
Hours before the attack, Catalano was in good spirits, celebrating 40 years at a Greek restaurant in Richmond with his wife, Stefanie Catalano, whose relationship with the media mogul has been tumultuous. One source described the incident as “pretty wild”, with many in the crowd shooting.
The change in Catalano’s sale plans came hours after he stepped down as chairman of his newspaper business and as a director of two publicly listed companies, Keybridge Capital and Yowie Group.
In the wealthy Byron Bay suburb of Wategos, where Catalano and his family have lived for many years, the partners drifted apart.
In the increasingly exclusive northern NSW city, which includes celebrities, art dealers and tech entrepreneurs, Catalano is best known as the owner of popular lounge and restaurant Rae’s.
“We’re all in a state of incomprehension, mate,” said his friend Michael Ibrahim, who runs a coffee van in front of Rae’s.
Other known associates of Catalano’s time in Byron Bay were also denied opportunities to comment on the allegations, either through payphone boxes or at the doors of their multi-million dollar homes.
Catalano, executive chairman of Australian Community Media and owner of secretive group View Media, was charged in court by Victoria Police with dragging a woman around an apartment by her hair and ankles and swinging a clothes iron at her head, in an attack that allegedly left her with a broken neck.
He was released on bail on Friday and immediately after giving a statement saying he would immediately enter a repair center.
As Catalano awaited the opening of a correctional facility on Monday, the effects of the alleged assault began to show. His six-bedroom, seven-bathroom apartment in St Kilda, previously listed last year with sales hopes of $33 million to $36 million, was put on the market.
When it was originally listed it was expected to set its own neighborhood record, set in 2019 when Catalano bought it off the plan for $30 million.
However, even before the charges were filed record hopes had faded for Catalano after the sale of the penthouse showed a revised guidance of $29.95 million.
Meanwhile, Catalano’s business partner at ACM, Alex Waislitz, issued a statement saying all employees at their companies “will be supported and heard” and the companies will prioritize their long-term interests with their employees and partners.
Among the ACM magazines, which the two bought for 125 million dollars from Tisa, the owner of this column, is. The Canberra Times and The Newcastle Herald.
“The immediate priority is the welfare of the staff and all stakeholders of Australian Community Media and View Media Group,” Waislitz said. “Both companies will ensure that all employees are supported and heard.”
This radical reported that there have been rumors of a Social Media business sales potential. Waislitz didn’t address that directly, but said that with View they are strong organizations with experienced teams that would run them in Catalano’s absence.
“Both companies will continue to protect their long-term interests, their employees, partners and other stakeholders while maintaining their integrity and governance practices,” Waislitz said.
“My thoughts are with all those affected by this matter.”
Catalano has also resigned as managing director at financial services group Keybridge Capital and children’s chocolate maker Yowie Group.
“This leave is related to personal matters involving Catalano that are currently before the courts,” Keybridge Capital said in a statement. The Yowie Group, in which Keybridge is the majority shareholder, issued a similar statement.
Catalano owns 50 per cent of the shares in ACM, while Waislitz, a billionaire investor, philanthropist and former vice-president of the Collingwood Football Club, owns the rest through his Thorney Investment Group. Under their ownership, ACM has taken drastic measures to cut costs, with several rounds of job cuts, and pledged to end print production in several regional titles.
Despite ongoing discussions about selling the ACM titles, Catalano has failed to find a buyer, despite offering a deal to Southern Cross Austereo in 2024, the radio company that recently merged with Seven West Media.
ACM Papers has also conducted coverage of Catalano and Waislitz’s digital advertising business, View Media, which recorded a net loss of $23 million, according to its most recent financial documents filed with the corporate regulator.
Waislitz, who was traveling in the United States when news of Catalano’s arrest broke, has been involved in two recent civil court cases. In December, Waislitz agreed to pay his ex-wife, Heloise Pratt, the daughter of cardboard magnate Richard Pratt, $325 million as part of the solution made on the eve of the trial which allowed him to retain control of Thorney Investments.
He has also been embroiled in a Victorian Supreme Court battle between his fiancee Rebekah Behbahani and her sister, The Real Housewives of Melbourne star Venus Behbahani.
On Sunday, this flagship reported that Stefanie Catalano was shaken by the accusations against her husband.
“I’m really not ready. I’m dealing with a lot of things right now with my family,” he said, adding that he didn’t want to comment further on the matter.
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Kishor Napier-Raman is senior business writer for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. He previously worked as a CBD reporter and journalist in the press gallery of the federal parliament.Connect through X or email address.
Lucy Macken is an investigative reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect through X or email address.
