The Block 2022 auctions: Omar and Oz deny Mr Lambo was a dummy bidder

One half of The Block’s winning team has addressed baseless claims they used a dummy bidder to drive up the price of their winning home.

Some viewers have accused Omar Slaimankhel and Oz Malik of asking their friend Adrian Portelli, an online promotions guru with a net worth of $8million, to bid on their home in order to push eventual buyer Danny Wallis into paying a higher price.

But Omar told Fitzy and Wippa on Monday this ‘couldn’t be further from the truth’.

One half of The Block’s winning team has addressed baseless claims they used a dummy bidder to drive up the price of their winning home. (Pictured: Omar Slaimankhel and Oz Malik)

‘The rumour that’s getting around is that Adrian Portelli… was actually a dummy bidder. Although registered, he was just pushing the price up,’ said radio host Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli.

Omar denied this was the case and also downplayed their friendship with Portelli.

‘We reached out to everyone that Oz  and I knew. We asked so many people to come through and see the house,’ he said.

Some viewers have accused Omar and Oz of asking their friend Adrian Portelli (left, in the white T-shirt) to bid on their Macedon Ranges home in order to push eventual buyer Danny Wallis (second from right, in the flat cap) into paying a higher price

‘We actually reached out to a mutual friend and they kind of suggested that he [Portelli] might be interested and he wanted to come have a look at the house.

‘And when he did come, he absolutely loved it,’ Omar continued. ‘He said he loved his views from our house.’

Wipfli then asked if Portelli had the money to buy the house, to which Omar replied: ‘He is very, very, very, very successful. He’s got a lot of businesses. He’s just a very, very successful businessman.’

Eccentric millionaire Wallis (left) ended up paying $5,666,666 for House 5

Portelli has also spoken about the auction day controversy, taking to Instagram late Sunday night to deny claims he conspired with Omar and Oz to drive up the price.

‘For everyone questioning the legitimacy of the auction, I was a genuine buyer with every intention to purchase that property,’ the businessman said.

‘Nobody is to blame for what happened. It’s an auction. Believe it or not, but if you’ve got two people that genuinely want the property, a bidding war will commence.’

‘I’m happy to show my bank account for anyone that suggests these were dummy bids,’ he concluded. 

Portelli (left) has also spoken about the auction day controversy, taking to Instagram late Sunday night to deny claims he conspired with Omar and Oz to drive up the price 

‘For everyone questioning the legitimacy of the auction, I was a genuine buyer with every intention to purchase that property,’ the businessman said