Backlash erupts after Australian couple’s ‘ungrateful’ reaction to winning $4m house amid shocking twist: ‘We want it to go’

An Australian couple who won a $4.2 million dream home and then complained it was a ‘nightmare’ because some luxury features were removed have sparked backlash.

The Griffins accused Adrian ‘Lambo Guy’ Portelli of taking more than $100,000 worth of such furniture from the home before delivering it to them.

The property investor known for his lifestyle and luxury cars said he bought the house in Gisborne, 54km north-west of Melbourne, in November after it went up for auction on reality TV series The Block.

Portelli then placed the house as the star prize through his lottery company LMCT+, which was won by Griffins from Ballarat, Victoria.

But the family discovered CCTV footage of Mr Portelli removing luxury items before handing over the keys – including a robo-mower, treadmill, wine, Smeg appliances and a BBQ smoker.

Now the family have hit Mr Portelli with a $102,000 bill for a long list of prized items, including candles and books, which they claim are missing from the ‘fully furnished’ home.

The Griffins are also said to have a website ready to launch, titled ‘our LMCT nightmare’, if Mr Portelli doesn’t pay up.

They believed they were entitled to everything seen in the promotional videos for the house lottery.

But Mr Portelli said the luxury extras were only used for staging for promotional videos and not part of the prize under the lottery’s terms and conditions.

To really drive his point home, Mr. Portelli announced that all items from the promotional video removed from the home would be part of a $1 giveaway.

“We want it to go to someone who will be grateful and deserving,” he said.

He claimed that all proceeds from the raffle would go to support the homeless charity.

“Because we’re talking about how many people out there are going to be just grateful to have a roof over their heads, let alone a $4.3 million furnished mortgage with no down payment,” he said.

‘So what’s the best way to get you guys involved. We’re going to get rid of this, someone will win it for $1 and all the proceeds will go towards changing the lives of people who will be grateful just to have a better night.’

Thousands of people have commented on the story since it went viral – with most saying the couple were ungrateful and the type to ‘complain if they won the lotto’.

‘Wow, nerves! The things they’re angry about are replaceable and definitely not worth 100k,” one said.

“Even just having a house without any appliances is still a blessing from heaven. Let alone $4 million,” said another commenter.

“Give it away then or just be happy with what you have,” added a third.

‘This is a joke right? How ungrateful!’ said one particularly frustrated commenter.

“Many of them are homeless, working full-time, living in their cars with their kids. Australia is going through a rental crisis and this man child is crying for some gadgets?’ another one was added.

Many agreed with this view with one statement; ‘Yes, with so many people without a place to call home, I would be grateful, count my blessings and move on.’

Portelli himself also accused the couple of being ungrateful and posted a clip on TikTok showing Mrs Griffin seeing the wine fridge missing and the couple finding bugs in the house.

Portelli says the couple have seen CCTV cameras left behind by the Channel Nine production team and claim they ‘hacked them’.

That’s how they found footage of him removing the missing items from the house before they moved in, prompting the list of demands.

Portelli has now hit back at the claims by posting footage from the handover video which shows the family complaining after being given the keys to the house.

The new clips sparked outrage, with some viewers blasting the family online for being ungrateful for fighting over the missing items.

“Unfortunately, it’s people like that who ruin it for everyone and it makes us not want to do things like that anymore,” added Portelli.

The couple had paid a $20-a-month membership to Portelli’s business, LMCT+, for more than a year before acquiring the home through a gift.

LMCT+, which Portelli founded in 2018, sells subscriptions that cost up to $100 a month.

Subscribers take part in exclusive competitions, with prizes including houses, bikes, cars and boats, and receive offers from motor vehicle businesses.

Portelli claimed he had been sent abusive and threatening messages labeling him and his team ‘thieves’ as a result of posting the vision online.

“Whatever I do with these things is up to me. Wherever I want to use them personally or I want to use them to stage future gift houses, who bloody cares,’ said Portelli.

This comes as Portelli’s business, LMCT+, is being investigated in two states over allegations it broke gambling laws.

South Australia’s Consumer and Business Services and the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission have each received complaints about LMCT+ and are investigating.