An Australian fitness consultant and athlete has reported being intimidated and threatened with eviction from his villa in Bali, following a rental payment scam involving a third-party agency. Ryan Mordey, who had been residing in the Badung regency—an area encompassing popular tourist destinations such as Kuta and Nusa Dua—experienced a disruption to his peaceful daily life on February 13.
Confrontation at the Villa
On that day, a police officer accompanied by five men arrived at Mordey's rental home, allegedly to intimidate him and force him out. Mordey shared on social media, "Five men and a police officer just left my place. They've come in to try and stand over me... and make me leave my villa because my management was scammed by their third party company agency [which] they used to book the villa."
Details of the Scam
He explained that his management had paid six months' rent to a third-party company employed by the villa owners to handle bookings. However, the agency only forwarded two months' payment to the owners before disappearing. Now, the management is attempting to evict Mordey, despite him having all necessary paperwork and receipts as proof of payment. "I have all of the paperwork. I have all of my receipts from paying this," he stated.
Warning to Others
Mordey hopes his experience serves as a cautionary tale for anyone considering a move to Bali, urging them to double-check the legitimacy of companies they deal with. Some questioned why he documented the incident, and he noted that his videos attracted the attention of an Indonesian senator who is now investigating the matter.
Personal Motivation and Broader Issues
Reflecting on his personal journey, Mordey added, "I beat cancer twice and the second time all I wanted to do, as soon as I got better, was move over here and live amongst these people. That hasn't changed just because of a couple of scammers." A video he published three days later revealed that the scam extended beyond his villa, affecting his neighbors as well. "They came over to let me know that this company has done exactly the same thing to them as they've done to me," he said, noting another household faced similar payment issues.
Legal and Corruption Concerns
Mordey speculated that the involvement of a police officer was due to the management's lack of legal grounds for eviction. "The reason they are rocking up with a police officer is because they know they don't have any legal grounds to get rid of us. We've all done the right thing. We've all paid in good faith. We all have proof, our receipts, everything," he emphasized.
He also shared the video to raise awareness about potential issues in Indonesia and other countries, mentioning concerns over corruption, such as the planting of drugs or illegal items in villas. On February 20, a local informed him that scams like this are common but often go unreported.
Mediation and Future Steps
The case is currently undergoing mediation between Mordey and the villa management company, which he has chosen not to name publicly. He revealed that others have come forward, claiming they were evicted from the same villa complex for identical reasons before he even moved in, suggesting the management knew about the scam but continued using the agency.
During mediation, Mordey plans to demand either a refund of his money, after which he will leave, or to be allowed to stay "without intimidation, harassment or bullying." He warned that if his demands are not met, he will "go public" with the management company's name and correspondence. The Daily Mail has reached out to Badung police and Mordey for further comment.
