Perth man Cameron Hughes who died in Balinese detention centre ripped off dozens of customers

A Perth man who died in a Bali detention center owes tens of thousands of dollars to more than a dozen angry customers he defrauded through his car repair company in Indonesia.

According to local media reports, Cameron Hughes was being held at Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, about 23 km south of Denpasar, and was found unresponsive last Friday night.

The 39-year-old man had been living in Bali for 15 years, married with an eight-year-old son, and was awaiting deportation due to visa issues.

Western Australia He spoke to Perth local Mark Pulford, who said he was defrauded out of $76,000 after paying Mr Hughes’ company, Holden Resto Bali, to repair an old Holden Torana.

Mr Pulford said he first met Mr Hughes in 2023 after hearing about his car restoration business through a mutual friend.

He described Mr Hughes as “charismatic” and after many lengthy discussions the 65-year-old “bit the bullet” and paid a $25,000 deposit in January 2024.

Less than a week later, he paid an additional $25,000. Months later, he coughed up another $26,000.

Mr Pulford was initially promised the car would be completed by mid-2024, but the completion date was repeatedly pushed back to mid-2025.

More than two years later, the car is still unfinished.

When pressed about the delays, Mr Hughes responded with a long list of outlandish excuses, including medical emergencies, bad weather, staffing issues and religious holidays.

“Some of it was ridiculous, she said, ‘The weather is really bad and I need to look after my son,’ then she skipped a beat in the hospital, said providers didn’t get back to her, doctors gave her the wrong medication and now she’s having a seizure,” Mr Pulford said.

“He said he had dengue fever in the hospital, which happened several times… it just kept going on and on.”

The West Australian has obtained shocking audio recordings of Mr Hughes verbally berating Mr Pulford for asking when his car would be ready.

LISTEN TO THE SHOCKING AUDIO RECORDING HERE

In a WhatsApp message to Mr Hughes dated 23 November 2025, Mr Pulford writes: “I know you are unwell and your workshop has been closed for three months, should we negotiate a cash payment through our lawyers and have the parts I supplied returned?”

“I’m willing to take a loss so I can move on, I’m tired of stressing about construction. It’s been almost two years and still no end time in sight.”

“I paid $76,000 and there has been basically no progress… none of my questions are being answered and I am not getting any updates.”

Phone records show Mr Pulford made several attempts to telephone Mr Hughes in the following days, but the calls were not answered.

Mr Pulford said he spoke to a Balinese lawyer who confirmed there were at least 10 other victims who were deprived of their life savings.

He said he was disappointed but lucky to be in a position where losing $76,000 wasn’t “the end of the world.”

Mr Hughes’ family have since provided the ABC with a draft statement they say he wrote before his death.

“I was dealing with tremendous personal and business stress,” the statement reads.

“My health has deteriorated badly. Late last year and early this year I was hospitalized with ulcers and anemia requiring blood transfusions.

“I have since received information from former staff that work was deliberately slowed or stopped at various times and that some work was carried out below the standards to which I had instructed.”

In the statement, Mr Hughes also denied allegations that he had defrauded people.