Francis John Nugan

Francis John Nugan (30 December 1942 in Griffith, New South Wales – 27 January 1980 in Bowenfels, New South Wales Frank Nugan was born in 1942 in the town of Griffith, New South Wales, a centre for fruit and vegetable growing, where his family had established the Nugan Fruit Group. He attended the University of Sydney (Bachelor of Laws, 1964) and University of California, Berkeley (Master of Laws, 1965).

Career After graduating, Nugan spent several years in Canada before returning to Sydney in 1968 and becoming a solicitor. In 1970 Nugan was a director of mineral exploration company Meekatharra Minerals when it came to the stock market in an initial public offering.

Nugan was also a director of Nugan Group Ltd, a company his brother Kenneth had built up into a major fruit and vegetable distributor. In 1978 Nugan and his brother were among those charged with conspiracy to defraud the company; the legal defense was funded in part by funds taken from the bank. In the days preceding his death, Nugan had sought to arrange a move to Florida with his US-born wife and three young children, and appeared confident that he could leave his Australian legal troubles behind him.