The husband of a prominent Australian businesswoman has detailed the torment inflicted by "meth queen" Tess Rowlatt and her associate, drug dealer Simon Simoudis, who used fraudulent references to lease the couple's luxury Richmond apartment. The ordeal left the couple, including the now-deceased wife, under immense stress in the months leading up to her sudden death in late 2024.
The widower, a well-known business figure who wished to remain anonymous, told the Daily Mail that Simoudis secured a short-term lease on their investment property by presenting forged references, claiming to be an employee of Mayne Pharma. The businessman became suspicious after hearing about all-night parties and constant comings and goings of unsavory characters at the unit. His worst fears were confirmed when he visited the property and spotted Rowlatt, known for her connections to the city's drug scene.
The couple discovered drugs and drug paraphernalia in the apartment during their visits and were aware of multiple police attendances due to alleged drug activity and forged documents. At one point, the owners feared Simoudis, Rowlatt, and an associate named Alex Talpau would not vacate the premises. The situation escalated when the couple, with the help of a lawyer, confirmed Simoudis was never employed by Mayne Pharma. High-end short-stay accommodation company Luxico had vetted Simoudis, and Infolio Property Advisors managed the property during his lease. The owners initiated legal action against Luxico while reporting the activities to the police.
"Almost two years on, the experience still leaves me deeply uneasy," the businessman stated. "Having convicted criminals gain access to our home using false credentials, and then seeing what unfolded inside it, was an extraordinary violation and deeply distressing for both my wife and me."
Simoudis and Talpau eventually left the property in late June 2024. Upon re-entering the apartment, the owners found it trashed and littered with drugs. Shortly after the dispute with Luxico was settled, the businessman's wife passed away. Her death was unrelated to the stress from the apartment incident, but the experience contributed to his decision to sell the property and relocate.
Rowlatt, who had prior convictions for drug trafficking, was later granted bail on new drug charges. Simoudis, a registered sex offender, was arrested eight days after vacating the Richmond unit at a Southbank apartment with his boyfriend Talpau. Police seized significant quantities of drugs, including methamphetamine, from the rental. Simoudis had used a stolen and doctored ID to secure the premium accommodation and had created a bank account under the assumed identity to pay the rent. In March 2025, Simoudis pleaded guilty to trafficking commercial quantities of methamphetamine and 1,4-butanediol.
Rowlatt, described in court as "middle-class," was arrested in August of the previous year in Melbourne's Southbank district. Police observed her in a BMW X5 registered to an individual with a firearm prohibition order and outlaw motorcycle gang affiliations. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, Rowlatt fled on foot but was apprehended with over 100g of methamphetamine, 1,4-butanediol, cash, and bank cards in other people's names. At the time of her arrest, she was serving a community correction order for prior trafficking offenses. Despite the new charges, she was granted bail in July 2025 to reside in a privately funded suite. The court ordered her not to consume or possess illicit drugs. She was released from the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre and moved into a four-star hotel, leaving in an SUV with her sister, Victoria Rowlatt.
The businessman expressed difficulty in understanding how individuals with serious criminal histories are repeatedly given opportunities to re-enter the community, only to re-offend. He praised Victoria Police for their assistance throughout the ordeal. "They took what was happening seriously, treated us with respect and ultimately helped us regain control of our home and remove the people who had taken advantage of it," he said.