An Australian man who bought $30,000 worth of fake limited-edition shoes will never see his money back because he knowingly bought them from a teenager.
The man, who works as a real estate agent in Melbourne, bought seven pairs of Dior x Air Jordan 1 sneakers from a 17-year-old boy who paid a whopping $10,000 for one pair.
The agent claimed to have noticed flaws and went to check their authenticity at a sneaker store, where he was told they were counterfeit.
The outraged Australian launched legal action against the 17-year-old boy, taking him and his father before the Victorian Civil and Administration Tribunal in October.
VCAT member Katherine Metcalf ruled in December that the agent would not receive a refund, despite the buyer losing tens of thousands of dollars.
She explained that the 17-year-old “did not have the full capacity to enter into contracts” due to his young age.
A man lost $30,000 after buying a fake pair of Dior
The teenager claimed to have a “system with a number of international associates” who entered lotteries on his behalf and sent him the sneakers.
Dior and Air Jordan had collaborated to design the sneakers, with just 8,500 low-tops and 4,700 high-tops released in 2020.
The agent paid $3,800 for one pair of limited edition sneakers and another three pairs for $4,800, $6,700 and $10,000.
He bought three more pairs for $2,690 each.
VCAT heard that the agent noticed several 'flaws' upon the shoes' arrival, prompting the buyer to check their authenticity.
The agent was unable to contact the boy, so he spoke to the 17-year-old's father, who agreed to accompany him to the store.
VCAT heard an authenticator told him the shoes were fake and said the teenager who sold him the sneakers was a blacklisted 'con artist'.
The buyer claimed that the father offered him $10,000 in compensation, but he refused before taking the case to the tribunal.
The 17-year-old boy's father argued that the store was not an “authorized authenticator” and denied making an offer to compensate the buyer.
Ms Metcalf argued the agent knew the seller was 17 years old and sent him a text in May 2021 wishing him a 'happy belated 18th birthday'.
Under Victorian law, a contract between a person under the age of 18 is unenforceable.
The VCAT (pictured) rejected the man's bid to be refunded by the seller, with the court ruling that the man was not entitled to his money back because he had bought the shoes from a minor
The limited edition sneakers (pictured) had several defects when the agent purchased the shoes from the then 17-year-old
The Supreme Court Act of 1986 states that specific contracts with minors are not legally binding, including contracts for goods and services that are not necessary.
'The contract has now been fully executed [the seller] was a minor,” Ms. Metcalf said.
'If the agreement was made when [he] was 18 years old, the outcome might have been different.
“Although the law generally protects minors from the consequences of their own actions, one could argue that in the current circumstances it is not the minor who needs protection, but rather the people with whom he chooses to do business.”
A spokesperson for VCAT told Daily Mail Australia they would not comment on individual cases.
The broker still owns the shoes he purchased.
The teen who sold the shoes started a sneaker company after he started researching sneakers for a business management degree.
He started helping his classmates buy rare and limited edition shoes and used the money from the sales to buy sneakers for himself.
His father told VCAT he did not know his son was involved in the sale of counterfeit sneakers until his family received threats from irate buyers.
His son was also said to have been chased through a shopping center by angry customers after eventually buying a fake pair of shoes.