Sally Cooper, who runs Elevated Digital Marketing, has been accused by several small-business clients of failing to deliver promised services and not providing refunds. The Daily Mail reported seeing her playing poker machines at a suburban Adelaide pub on a weekday morning while clients claimed they were owed thousands of dollars, although the article does not allege that gambling itself was illegal or that she used client funds.

One client, Sally Dean of Imagine Bridal Studio, said she paid $1,970 upfront for window stickers that were never installed and that an apparent refund did not reach her account. Dean obtained a civil court ruling after Cooper did not attend a July 31 hearing, allowing her to seek a warrant of apprehension; another client, Julie Baker, alleged she was owed $605 over unsatisfactory business-planning work. Cooper denied gambling clients’ money when approached, declined to discuss her spending, referred the reporter to her lawyer, and was subsequently disqualified from the AusMumpreneur Awards after being a finalist in three categories.