Atomic 212 and Barry O’Brien sue former CEO Jason Dooris for fraud, kickback and bribery claims
Media agency Atomic 212 and its chair, Barry O’Brien, are suing former CEO Jason Dooris for falsely claiming the agency is involved in fraud, kickbacks and bribery.
In court documents filed on 13 September seen by Mumbrella, the agency asked for the court to impose an injunction on Dooris, which would restrain him from claiming that Atomic 212 or O’Brien engaged in fraud, takes bribes and kickbacks at the expense of clients, launders bribes and kickbacks through a company within the Atomic group, and warrants investigation by the ASIC Fraud Unit or NSW Police’s Serious Fraud Unit. If he disobeys that injunction, the summons reads, Dooris could face jail time.
Jason Dooris is being taken to court by his former agency, Atomic 212
Mr Dooris has done well allegedly carrying out these deeds while studying Political Science and Terrorism at Oxford in the UK… oh hang on, much like his client wins at Atomic that degree also doesn’t appear to exist
Just when you thought this whole saga couldn’t get any more saga-ier…
Another Atomic Bomb
This has moved from basic fraud, to what feels like a situation where one individual is very unwell and needs help.
I hope this won’t distract him battling ISIS for us.
If you look at his LinkedIn profile… lots of overlaps… What’s the go here? Logically doesn’t make sense to me.
Atomic – CEO/CMO – 2010-March 2018
Carat – GM – May 2012-March 2014
MPG Aus – GM – 2011-March 2014
Razor Joy – Head of Digital – 2008-Aug 2011
Deloitte – Practice Director – 2005-2007
Saatchi & Saatchi – GM – 2003-2006
He says he was already a Digital Strategy Director at Ogilvy before he’d even graduated Uni. And then Mediacom UK CEO, Mediacom Deputy CEO Europe… barely 2 years out of uni??????
Alleging Mr.Dooris committed fraudulent behaviour for financial gain is one thing, but that still doesn’t explain how other Atominc212 employees sat in presentations – both to clients and industry judging panels – and did not challenge many of the outrageous claims made by Mr.Dooris/Atomic212 regarding clients and business won. Alleged fraudulent behaviour doesn’t explain Atomic212’s failure to explain that.
Burn!
Whilst Mr Dooris clearly stretched boundaries and has paid the price, it is hard the believe that [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. Also, Media companies have been known to take undisclosed margin from client via rebate and or added margin from 3rd parties etc.which are the alleged claims that Mr Dooris has be claimed to have made. [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. Maybe time for the whole Atomic story to disappear from the industry.
how does someone with so much discrepancy in their supposed career get a gig at atomic in the 1st place, let alone all the others highlighted by this bloke and other contributors
Shaping up to be a busy week for trade press! Wonder what other media bombs will drop this week
It will be interesting to see if anything is revealed after scratching the surface of allegations
[Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]
You’ve not heard of the Saatchi & Saatchi and Deloitte joint venture from 05 – 06?
(Insert sarcasm font)
It would seem to me the old saying “no smoke with out fire” is very apt here. [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy] Would anybody ever trust their business to them again? [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]
How does a fraud like this even get a gig?
It may be easy to joke about all of this because his actions are truly disgraceful. But it sounds like he is really unwell and needs help. I hope he gets it.
“I’ve sold media plans to Brockway, Ogdenville and North Haverbrook and by gum it put them on the map!”
they are very good questions. sadly, the answer is that few if any agencies do proper background checks and most agencies will forgive leaders a lot of poor or erratic behaviour if they’re delivering business…particularly winning pitches
I agree .
Mumbrella, I understand this is a media story and you report on media happenings but please have some consideration to what the consequences of very spiteful comments ( from people who most likely haven’t been impacted by this in anyway shape or form ) I could have .
This is a messy situation and the courts will sort it out
From my understanding – most of the employees are sick of it (hence the huge staff turnover rates, which were ALSO lied about in pitches / award entries).
The only people happily turning a blind eye to this was [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]
We wanted to keep our jobs while quietly looking for other options..? And there were a few with mild Stockholm Syndrome, which was quite sad.
NIB did in fact review is business. And moved it. The client confirmed it in an AdNews story, so it’s misleading to say it was a false story – the agenda of the source is in question. Not the story.
Were Mortgage Choice or Aus Super stories actually published? Seems not despite what this story is claiming.
It is the suppression of expression, opinion and, most importantly, questions that often leads to a mess like this. If readers want to vent, let them – Mr Dooris seems to have vented his bullshit without much challenge.
BTW, the “damage” that “spiteful comments” may do is nothing compared to the damage done by Mr D (according to what has been reported). Please relax and let nature take its course, spiteful or supportive comments notwithstanding.
Hi ‘false’,
I have attempted to clear up the wording here. NIB also confirmed the account move to Mumbrella at the time: https://staging.mumbrella.com.au/health-insurer-nib-consolidates-media-social-and-seo-with-ikon-ending-five-year-relationship-with-atomic-212-514433
I think what’s in question here is Jason Dooris allegedly harming the agency’s reputation, and also the motivations for NIB reviewing its account (ie the claim of the conflict of interest with Aus Super).
We can’t comment much more as it’s a matter for the courts to decide, but I hope that clears it up. Apologies if we added to any confusion.
Thanks,
Vivienne – Mumbrella
Agreed and I too cross-checked this. The stories published by Adnews were correct/accurate as have client comments confirming. he may have tipped the writer off but at least it was accurate. Will mumbrella update this fact?
It’s not cleared up exactly as you still have in the story.
It should say Dooris ‘tried’ to publish false stories in the press as the stories published were correct. His other false tips were not published
Thanks
Hi Carly,
See my response above. We have clarified Atomic’s claims of falsehood relate to the AusSuper account/ conflict and Dooris’ alleged attempts to plant false stories.
In Atomic’s statement of claim, it claims Dooris was planting false and damaging stories in the trade press. The false claim was that NIB was up for review because of a conflict with AusSuper. Atomic says AusSuper was not a client, and therefore not a conflict – and this was not why the account was reviewed.
Hope that clarifies. Thanks,
Vivienne – Mumbrella
Hi there,
Perhaps our site is having issues, as the updated story I am looking at says “Dooris attempted to plant false stories in industry press sites, including contacting a journalist at AdNews twice.”
Let me look into it. Thanks for flagging,
Vivienne – Mumbrella
@Wario
You win Mumbrella for the day!
This was textbook, “challenge a narcissist and you will be destroyed”.