This ‘new’ SBS doco is great. But to one filmmaker, it’s oddly familiar
Sydney Morning Herald
by Karl QuinnFebruary 24, 2026
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SBS’s new documentary series about conman John Friedrich has sparked controversy after a veteran filmmaker claimed it closely resembles a project he submitted to the network years ago. Philippe Charluet, who has worked in the film industry for over three decades, accused SBS of using his detailed proposal without his knowledge. The series, which explores Friedrich’s role as former head of the National Safety Council of Australia, is said by Charluet to mirror his own pitch from 2008 and 2009, including a 55-page script and archival footage. While SBS denies any connection, claiming their project was developed independently in 2024, Charluet’s allegations have raised questions about the network’s commissioning process.
Charluet’s proposal, titled *John Friedrich: Catch Me If You Can*, detailed Friedrich’s fraudulent activities that led to the collapse of NSCA and left the organization owing $300 million. The filmmaker argued that his project was meticulously researched and had secured international interest, including a potential pre-sale from a German network. However, without core funding from SBS or other local broadcasters, the film stalled. Charluet claimed SBS rejected his proposal in 2009 but now appears to have produced a similar documentary, prompting him to go public.
SBS maintains that their two-part series was conceived in 2022 as part of a broader exploration of Australian conmen. The network emphasized that its production team had no prior knowledge of Charluet’s submission and pointed to standard retention policies for submissions, which are destroyed after seven years. They also noted that the
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Originally published on Sydney Morning Herald on 2/24/2026