Billionaire Adrian Portelli fronts up at Melbourne court after trying to keep his case a secret

Block billionaire Adrian Portelli has led a court hearing denying allegations he made in Melbourne’s north-west.

Portelli, 35, yawned as allegations were heard in court that he carelessly drove his gray Mercedes Benz C63 coupe around a roundabout at Digger’s Rest.

Portelli is accused of tampering just before Christmas 2020, with police accusing him of reckless driving, failing to properly control a vehicle and driving in a manner that causes a vehicle to lose traction.

The court heard Portelli was intercepted near the Silk Drive and Diggers Rest-Coimadai Rd intersection and his Merc was seized at the scene.

Portelli was charged on January 30, 2021, more than a month after the alleged crime.

A Victoria Police Highway Patrol officer told the court he took a “f**** oath” when his partner asked if he thought they had witnessed Portelli’s luxury car losing traction.

Lawyers for Portelli argued that there was “no way” police could make this claim from 255 yards away.

Experienced criminal defense attorney Penny Marcou attempted to discredit the police witness’ evidence on Portelli’s behalf.

Ms Marcou suggested the officer “created a memory” because Portelli was “well known in the community”.

She asked how the officer could remember the incident after four years and “several hundred police interceptions later.”

“It was a very distinctive incident,” he said.

“I didn’t know who he (Portelli) was.”

“But you did that in January 2021,” Ms Marcou replied.

“Your memory was set aside and you created a memory because Mr. Portelli was someone who was well known in the community….”

Ms Marcou also highlighted an expert report that concluded it was unlikely police could have seen Portelli’s wheels turning from their vantage point.

She also claimed that police had ‘no way’ to see Portelli’s wheels losing traction at a distance of 255 metres.

“I suggest you just make this up, senior,” said Mrs. Marcou.

“I’m telling you it was a horrible rainy day… you have your windshield wipers on and it’s raining.

Ms Marcou also claimed the officer’s statement that it was not raining heavily was ‘misleading’ because there was ‘flooding across the road’.

The officer, who has 11 years of experience with the Highway Patrol, disagreed with Ms. Name’s claims.

The Leading Senior Constable said Portelli’s action at the roundabout was a ‘controlled slide by the driver’.

Ms Marcou also stressed that there was no recorded footage of the alleged incident and that police had noted that Portelli’s Mercedes was a sedan and not a coupe.

Portelli, a flamboyant billionaire playboy known for his outrageous publicity stunts, had previously tried to keep his lawsuit secret before Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed his shocking allegations in May last year.

Portelli’s former lawyer Angelika Yianoulatos tried to keep the details of his alleged offense out of public scrutiny.

“Before I make any comments, I will ask your honor to close this court on the grounds that Mr Portelli is a public figure and I can see that there are some journalists on the (video) link,” she said during a speech. previous court hearing.

“I believe that any publication of these matters could be detrimental to Mr. Portelli and the proper administration of justice.”

While the court was closed to allow Portelli’s lawyer to argue her case, a magistrate rejected any idea of ​​issuing a suppression order, opening the court and providing Portelli’s charges to Daily Mail Australia.

Portelli is facing a legal war on a second front after South Australia’s Consumer and Business Services launched an investigation into the Melbourne businessman’s lottery operations in September last year.

South Africa’s government department confirmed it is prosecuting Portelli and Xclusive Tech Pty Ltd, which trades as LMCT+, just one day after Portelli distributed $150,000 in Coles vouchers to Western Sydney residents struggling to get groceries doing.

Portelli faces nine counts of conducting/aiding the operation of an unlawful lottery, and the company faces 10 counts of the same charge, the courts confirmed.

If convicted on all charges, Portelli could face a maximum fine of $190,000. The case is scheduled to be first mentioned in the South Australian Magistrates Court on January 15.

Portelli has an estimated net worth of more than $1 billion – and he made much of his fortune through LMCT+, a subscription-based lottery.

Portelli splashed out some serious cash at a lavish bash at his multimillion-dollar penthouse in Melbourne’s CBD on Thursday evening, just hours after filing the charges.

The hearing on driving charges before Magistrate Michael McNamara at the Sunshine Court continues.