Adrian Portelli opens a new Petrol station in Preston. Picture: Jake Nowakowski
Adrian Portelli has stunned Aussies after revealing he uses up to $3m in real cash as a “prop”, a claim that left radio hosts scrambling to process it.
The Melbourne billionaire told KIIS 106.5 hosts Georgie Tunny and Mike E he refuses to use fake notes when filming, instead pulling out real money tied to his promotions.
“Funnily enough, I do. But we just use it as a prop more than anything. But yeah, we do have a few million laying around,” Portelli said.
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“Hang on. A few million dollars of cash lying around?” Tunny replied.
Portelli said the money, sometimes totalling as much as $3m, is typically stored in a bank vault and only brought out for filming.
While carrying $3m in cash is not illegal in itself, moving that kind of money would almost certainly raise eyebrows if authorities suspected anything unlawful.
Austrac says travellers can carry unlimited cash in or out of Australia, but must declare $10,000 or more at the border. Large cash movements can still attract scrutiny where authorities suspect links to unlawful activity.
“We use it for filming … I don’t like the fake money, you can tell it’s fake. So I’ve got real money,” he said.
“Yeah, we like to keep it authentic. It brings out the true emotion when you’re holding that much money.”
While most Australians are moving away from physical cash, Portelli said he prefers the real thing, even at a scale few people would ever encounter.
“It’s not that much, when you look at it,” he said.
“You think it’s a lot more but it’s actually not.”
Adrian Portelli says the stacks of cash seen in his videos are real, revealing he uses up to $3m as a “prop” for filming. Picture: Instagram/LMCT+
The reveal shows how Portelli leans on high-impact visuals to promote his LMCT+ business, which gives away luxury prizes including multimillion-dollar homes and high-end cars to paying members.
The money regularly features in his social media content alongside those prizes, forming part of the attention-grabbing imagery used to promote the giveaways.
The revelation comes after Portelli soft-opened his members-only LMCT+ petrol station in Preston on Wednesday as part of a push into the fuel market.
The Plenty Rd and Gower St site has been restricted to paying members, who must sign up to LMCT+, typically about $99 a year, to access discounted fuel, including prices as low as 99.9c a litre.
Adrian Portelli’s members-only LMCT+ petrol station in Preston offers fuel from 99.9c a litre as part of his cost-of-living push. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images
Portelli has pitched the model as both a reward for supporters and a way to manage demand after large crowds turned out for the launch, which blended cheap fuel with a high-energy promotional rollout.
The concept mirrors membership-based fuel retailers such as Costco, with Portelli claiming motorists could save thousands annually depending on usage.
Petrol Spy data shows fuel prices have eased from recent peaks above 250c a litre, with Melbourne’s average sitting at 184.2c, Sydney at 180c, Brisbane at 178.9c and Adelaide at 176.7c.
LMCT+ founder Adrian Portelli has defended his bold business moves, from cheap fuel to high-profile promotions. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw
Portelli then took to Instagram, arguing the media’s focus should have been on cheaper fuel rather than his comments about police resources during the promotion.
“Australia, it is time to wake up,” he said.
“Not that Australians can save money on fuel. They’re talking about this police comment.”
He defended the rollout, saying he had already covered traffic management and staffing.
“I’ve already gone out of my way and organised traffic control out of my own pocket,” he said.
“I’ve put on an extra 20 staff.”
Drivers are flocking to Adrian Portelli’s Preston petrol site, with the discounted fuel offer tapping into cost-of-living pressures. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw
He also claimed the site was operating smoothly despite early concerns about congestion.
“Members are lining up. No, they’re not. Actually, there’s no line. Look at this. It’s nice. It’s clear,” he said.
“If you want a dollar petrol, you don’t have to line up. You can just come in, show your membership and you get a dollar a litre of fuel.”
Adrian Portelli has taken aim at Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan in a blunt social media rant amid his latest business push. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling
Portelli also appeared to allude to wanting to take charge in Victoria, taking aim at Premier Jacinta Allan and saying it was “time to get rid of her” before adding: “put this guy in charge”.
He then encouraged job seekers near Preston to visit the site, saying the business was looking for workers with sales or retail experience.
“Head straight to the servo,” he said.
Adrian Portelli and Chris Brown front My Reno Rules, which has quickly gained traction with viewers across Australia. Picture: Seven/7Plus
The comments and promotion push come as Portelli’s TV venture My Reno Rules is pulling strong audiences.
Ratings data shows the program’s Wednesday episode reached 1.649 million viewers nationally, with an average audience of 693,000, making it the highest-rating non-news program of the night.
The launch episode also performed strongly, reaching 1.511 million viewers and averaging 638,000.
A source familiar with the promotion said Portelli’s blunt style was part of why the offer had cut through.
My Reno Rules is pulling strong national audiences, ranking as the top non-news program on the night. Picture: Seven/7Plus
Adrian Portelli’s My Reno Rules has delivered major ratings, with millions tuning in across its opening episodes. Picture: Instagram/AdrianPortelli
“People can say what they like about Adrian Portelli, but he understands cost-of-living pressure in a way that clearly connects with ordinary Australians,” the source said.
“Whether people agree with his style or not, he is actually doing something tangible while a lot of others are still talking.”
Portelli, who founded LMCT+ in 2018 after working as an Uber driver in Los Angeles, has built his wealth through promotional giveaways, business ventures and property investments.
Subscribers to his platform pay monthly fees for entries into draws featuring high-end prizes, including homes.
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