Who Owns Sonnabend.com.au?

Based on the publicly available WHOIS data, sonnabend.com.au is owned by Sonnabend Capital Pty Ltd. The registrant contact name listed is Michal Sobota. This information is directly from the Australian domain registry database, which is maintained by auDA (the .au Domain Administration Limited). The ACN (Australian Company Number) associated with Sonnabend Capital Pty Ltd is 608200362, which further confirms its status as a registered company within Australia. This level of transparency in ownership details is a positive sign, as many dubious or scam websites often try to obscure their true ownership through privacy services or fake details. The fact that a specific individual and a registered company are clearly linked to the domain adds a layer of formal accountability.

The domain itself is registered through GoDaddy.com LLC, one of the largest and most reputable domain registrars globally. The “Registrar WHOIS Server” and “Registrar URL” both point to GoDaddy’s services, reinforcing that this is a standard and legitimate domain registration. The registration is also current, with a “Last Modified” date of 2025-06-06T06:46:46Z, indicating that the domain is actively managed and has not expired or been abandoned. The ownership information, therefore, appears solid and verifiable through official channels.

Verifying Ownership through WHOIS

The WHOIS database is the authoritative source for domain ownership information.

• Direct Registrant: Sonnabend Capital Pty Ltd is explicitly named as the registrant.
• Contact Person: Michal Sobota is listed as both the Registrant Contact and Tech Contact.
• ACN Verification: The ACN 608200362 is a key identifier for Australian companies. You can usually verify this on the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) website.
• auDA Mandate: auDA requires clear ownership details for .au domains, enhancing transparency.

The Role of GoDaddy.com LLC

GoDaddy’s involvement as the registrar adds a layer of legitimacy and standard practice.

• Industry Leader: GoDaddy is a major and widely trusted domain registrar.
• Standard Registration Process: Using such a registrar indicates a conventional domain acquisition.
• Abuse Contact: GoDaddy provides an abuse contact email ([email protected]) and phone number, which is a standard procedure for reporting misuse.

Implications of Transparent Ownership

Transparent ownership is crucial for trust, especially for financial entities.

• Accountability: Knowing who owns the domain provides a point of contact for legal or business inquiries.
• Reduced Anonymity: Unlike many questionable sites, the owner isn’t hidden behind a proxy service.
• Business Credibility: A clear link to a registered company enhances credibility, even if the website itself is empty.
• Legal Standing: The ownership aligns with a formal business entity in Australia.

What We Don’t Know About the Owner

While we know who owns it, the blank website means we know very little about their operations or intentions.

• Business Model: What services does Sonnabend Capital Pty Ltd offer? The website doesn’t say.
• Operational Status: Is the company actively trading? The blank site doesn’t confirm.
• Reason for Blank Site: Why would a registered company have an empty web presence? This remains unknown.

Public Record vs. Public Presence

The ownership is clearly on public record, but the public presence (the website itself) is non-existent. This creates a dichotomy where formal legitimacy exists, but functional transparency for users does not. While Sonnabend Capital Pty Ltd legally owns sonnabend.com.au, the lack of content means their operational identity remains a mystery to the public accessing the website. Is Sonnabend.com.au a Scam?