A failed Melbourne businessman who styles himself on Wall Street character Gordon Gekko has become a partner with a state government agency in a luxury ski resort project, even though he owes more than $61 million in bad debts.
Government and regulatory authorities have granted access to public land at Mount Hotham for a major new hotel that is backed by still-bankrupt developer Anton Joseph Wilson.
Wall Street character Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas, and bankrupt developer Anton Wilson.
Despite being disqualified from managing a corporation, Mr Wilson has apparently taken a lead role in the $26 million project that is being billed as the largest commercial development on the mountain in 20 years.
Mr Wilson, who has adopted Gekko's slicked-back hairstyle, distinctive dress sense and even, according to sources, his signature catchphrase "greed is good", is responsible for a string of property developments and investment schemes where tens of millions of dollars have been lost.
"He's always had this thing about Gordon Gekko," a source said. "The monogrammed cuffed shirts, the hair, the attitude. Anton took on this whole persona. He thinks it's all a big game."
In a nod to his idol, Mr Wilson renamed several of his previous failed ventures after fictional businesses in the movie Wall Street and its sequel Money Never Sleeps just days before they were put into external administration in 2015.
Poster for the hit 1987 film.
Two of the collapsing companies in his Mider property group were named after Anacott Steel and Teldar Paper, stocks that Michael Douglas' character manipulated as part of an insider-trading scam and hostile takeover in the hit 1987 film.
Others were rebranded Churchill Scwartz [sic] and Keller Zabel, the investment banks portrayed in the sequel.
This apparent mimicking of Gekko was raised in the Supreme Court during a lawsuit relating to the businesses, where Mr Wilson's actions were branded by a former business partner's lawyer as "having a little laugh".
"[He's] saying, 'Look, I can do what I want. I'm the Gordon Gekko of the Supreme Court, I'll slick my hair back and do what I want,' and we would say, your honour, it's beyond the pale," barrister Martin Garrett said.
In a 2016 decision awarding $7.4 million against him, Justice Ross Robson found he did not "accept the credit of Mr Wilson", his actions had been misleading and he had breached his fiduciary duties.
In September 2017, Mr Wilson was declared bankrupt with debts of more than $61 million but only $8700 in the bank and no other assets.
Among his creditors were underworld-linked mediator and debt collector Mick Gatto and his business partner John Khoury.
Documents filed during Mr Wilson's bankruptcy lists his residential address as a backpackers' hostel in Sydney and his postal address as a caravan park in Geelong.
However, until recently, his family home was a five-bedroom Victorian terrace in Middle Park owned by his wife, Melinda Jane Wilson. She sold the property earlier this year for $5.57 million.
Ms Wilson's current registered address is a five-bedroom house in Hawthorn with a pool and theatre room.
Despite Mr Wilson's history and status as an undischarged bankrupt, in March the 48-year-old was announced as the developer of the $26 million ski lodge project at the popular winter destination.
"The new development, called Davenport Central, will be undertaken by Mider, a Melbourne-based development group owned by Mr Anton Wilson in a joint venture with Davenport Central Pty Ltd representing Asgaard Ski Club Inc," a media statement announced in late March 2018.
"It'll be the biggest single private development ever at Mount Hotham," Davenport Central director and club member Ron Mason said at the time.
Among the shareholders in the joint venture is the government-backed Mt Hotham Alpine Management Board, while public land for the development has been provided on a 75-year lease by the Department of the Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
However, none of the parties has been able to describe what due diligence, if any, was done on Mr Wilson or whether they were aware of his background in advance of the deal.
Mr Wilson did not respond to a series of questions sent to him at his request.
When contacted by The Age, Davenport Central director and Asgaard treasurer Peter Malone said the media release was "wrong" and "unauthorised".
"Mr Wilson's got nothing to do with it," he said. "If you're looking for a story, there's no story."
Peter Malone (second from left), MP Danielle Green (second from right) and Anton Wilson (far right) at the Davenport Central launch.
Mr Malone said they were partnered with the company Mider@MtHotham Pty, which was owned by "a lady" but he couldn't provide her name.
Corporate records show the company was registered after Mr Wilson's bankruptcy by his wife, Melinda, who is the director and ultimate owner. Ms Wilson has also been a director in a number of his other ventures.
Sources close to the project say Mr Wilson has taken a lead role in the development, which is due to break ground in October.
Mr Malone's claims that Mr Wilson was not involved have also been refuted by evidence that shows Mr Wilson was a major player at the project's official launch party.
Anton Wilson at the Davenport Central launch in March 2018.
"[Davenport Central] ... will be great for the mountain and just encourage people to spur on and try and emulate Anton, Ron and Peter's work," Labor MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism Danielle Green said in a video of the event.
Mr Wilson and Mr Malone also appeared in photos along with Ms Green in front of a Davenport Central publicity poster emblazoned with the Mider logo.
Advertising for the project also refers to Mr Wilson as a "director" of Mider, despite his being disqualified by his bankruptcy.
DELWP spokesman Michael Pollock said Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio granted permission to the Mount Hotham board to negotiate the lease, but the department would not comment on whether it was aware of Mr Wilson's involvement.
"The minister is not a party to the lease, and neither the minister nor the department have been involved with any of the lease negotiations between the board and the tenant," Mr Pollock said.
The Mount Hotham board has refused to answer questions about what due diligence checks were performed on the project or whether it was aware of Mr Wilson's history.
"[The board] was not involved in applying for or securing finance for the proposed development," spokeswoman Anita Coia said in response to questions about its involvement.
Labor MP Danielle Green did not respond to a request for comment.
Since the March launch party, two other companies controlled formerly by Mr Wilson and now by Ms Wilson have been placed into external administration owing millions of dollars.
Law firm Aitken Partners said they are representing more than 50 investors embroiled in the schemes.
"Our clients have suffered serious losses but we've had some success in obtaining information despite attempts by Mr Wilson to frustrate our clients' endeavours," senior associate Nahum Ayliffe said.
"Our clients have instructed us to report Mr Wilson to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission."