High-profile Australian billionaire Adrian Portelli has been found not guilty of assisting in running illegal lotteries in South Australia, but his business has copped hefty fines.
Portelli was facing nine charges relating to operating unlawful lotteries through his company Xclusive Tech from 2023 to 2024, with Adelaide Magistrate Melanie Burton today finding him not guilty on all offences.
His business, however, was found guilty on 10 charges relating to the same offences, and will now be forced to pay a $40,000 fine.
The legal case kicked off last May, when South Australia’s Consumer and Business Services alleged that Portelli’s company did not hold a licence to conduct its lotteries in the state.
In South Australia, lotteries must have approved permits to protect the public from fraudulent or exploitative activities.
Portelli — who pleaded not guilty when the charges were first laid — did not appear in the Adelaide Magistrate Court when the findings were handed down, with Burton saying her ruling was determined on the grounds that the lotteries were conducted nationally with only a low proportion of South Australian entrants.
Among the lottery prizes were a rare sports car, a $250,000 cash prize, and a house that featured on The Block — the renovation show which first catapulted Portelli to notoriety.
During an earlier appearance at the start of his trial last year, Portelli claimed his lotteries followed the licensing rules in every state except South Australia.
“We’ve complied with every state in Australia bar SA,” he said. “We had a good relationship with them but someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
He also claimed SA’s Consumer and Business Services “fed misinformation” on how to properly obtain the lottery licenses.
Reacting to the news of his cleared charges on social media today, Portelli shared a headline about his not guilty verdict with the caption: “Thank you very much”.
Portelli gained the nickname “Lambo Guy” in 2022 after he arrived at The Block auction in a yellow Lamborghini.
He appeared at other auctions in later seasons of the show, but swore off attending them after purchasing all four homes in the finale of the 2024 season.
There were reports Portelli was banned from appearing at The Block auctions, which host Scott Cam denied.
Portelli is set to appear opposite Chris Brown as a host on the rival renovation series My Reno Rules, which airs on Channel 7 later this year.
Lead images: Channel 9 and Instagram
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