A family from Sudan, who came to Australia on a humanitarian visa, received hundreds of thousands of Australian dollars in aid from Centrelink, but spent a million dollars buying luxury homes in Melbourne.
Their claim was also rejected by court after the mansion was confiscated by police.
The mansion, located in Wiringa Close in Narre Warren, southeast of Melbourne, has a pool, sauna, home theater and a five-car garage worth A $1.5 million.
The mansion was confiscated last year as part of an Australian federal police investigation.
His owner is Ngouth Oth Mai, a 23-year-old son of former Sudanese general James Hoth Mai and paid in full at the time of purchase.
Australian federal police say the mansion was paid by Ngouth for the proceeds of crime. He is suspected of creating a company that impersonates the import of luxury cars into Australia.
Investigations by police and the Australian tax Authority revealed that the car-importing company, Sportscars Pty Ltd, received money from Uganda and Kenya through Dubai-based banks, but did not have any actual business.
In 2014, the company received several transfers of up to A $621838, A $470756, A $312838, A $82897 and A $58978 respectively.
In August of the same year, Ngouth raised A $one million three hundred and sixty thousand six hundred and sixty one from it for a one-time payment for the purchase of Narre Warren luxury homes.
Graham White from the federal police said in a court document obtained by the news.com.au: "Ngouth was not employed at the time of the purchase of the property and had been holding a youth allowance from the Government of Australia since 2008."
In fact, the mansion is not the only object of police-related investigations.
General James Hoth Mai`s daughter Titchiang, the owner of a 2016 Audi A1, bought for A $35274.
Another daughter of General James Hoth Mai, Dijok, bought a BMW 316i a week later for A $63000.
On Monday, judge Robert Dyer rejected an application to return the Narre Warren mansion to the family in a state intermediate court.
In addition, the family must pay all court fees.
The family moved from Sudan to Melbourne in 2001 and 2003, according to court documents. They lived in government public housing and accumulated A $ four hundred and sixty thousand in aid from Centrelink.
The Narre Warren mansion, 45 kilometers from Melbourne`s central business district, features HBO, billiard tables and luxury bathrooms and is the home of General James Hot Mai`s wife, Nyawarga, son Ngouth, and his two daughters, Titchiang and Dijok.
General James Hoth Mai himself does not live in Australia.
News.com.au has contacted Ngouth Oth Mai`s lawer for comments.
