Israel Folau’s $6.5 million glittering property portfolio has been revealed as the sacked Wallabies star begs for help to fund his legal action against Rugby Australia.
Folau, who has already raked in more than $460,000 from the public to foot the bill for his court case, is sitting on a multi-million dollar property empire.
Daily Mail Australia confirmed on Friday the 30-year-old is the owner of six homes and three blocks of land across New South Wales and Queensland under his own name or through the investment company he runs with his father Eli, Folau Investments Pty Limited.
Israel Folau’s $7 million glittering property portfolio has been revealed as he begs Australians to help fund his legal action against Rugby Australia on Go Fund Me. Pictured with wife Maria
He started his property portfolio in 2010 when he and his father paid $773,000 for a four-bedroom home in Kellyville, NSW, according to Property Observer.
They purchased another four-bedroom home in Stanhope Gardens in 2015 that cost $1,005,000 and an apartment in Little Bay for $960,000.
Three lots of land in Austral cost Folau $374,900 each and his most expensive purchase – his home in Kenthurst – came with a price tag of $2,100,000.
He also has properties in Kallangur, for $159,000, and Boronia Heights, which cost $340,000.
In total his portfolio adds up to a whopping $6,461,700.
Even with the extensive property portfolio the former Rugby Union player has created a Go Fund Me to help support his legal proceedings with the Fair Work Commission against Rugby Australia, where he is seeking up to $10million in damages.
The crowdfunding page has raised $461,159 of the $3 million goal that was set.
The post that cost Folau his $4million contract was an image uploaded to Instagram which stated drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters would go to hell.
He started his property portfolio in 2010 when he and his father, who he co-directs Folau Investments Pty Limited with, paid $773,000 on a four-bedroom home in Kellyville, NSW, according to Property Observer. Pictured: Kenthurst home
Folau’s decision to ‘stand up for the word of God’ hasn’t come without criticism, in particular from the body he is seeking to take on.
‘From our perspective (Go Fund Me) is a place where sick children get support, so it’s certainly not a strategy we think is appropriate,’ Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle told Nine News on Friday.
Even with the extensive property portfolio the former Rugby Union player has created a Go Fund Me to help support his legal proceedings with the Fair Work Commission against Rugby Australia, where he is seeking up to $10 million in damages. Pictured: Kallangur home
Former Wallaby Drew Mitchell also laid into the 30-year-old, saying sick children were more deserving of support.
‘YOU are in a fight that YOU chose to be in after YOU broke the terms of YOUR contract, the kids below are in a fight they NEVER wanted to be in and yet YOU think YOU deserve donations more than they do??!!,’ Mitchell posted on Twitter.
‘It’s no longer about religion, it’s about YOU and YOUR greed. @IzzyFolau.’
Sydney Independent state MP Alex Greenwich urged people to donate to World Vision’s campaign to end child slavery instead.
Folau’s decision to ‘stand up for the word of God’ hasn’t come without criticism, in particular from the body he is seeking to take on. Pictured: Little Bay
Former Wallaby Drew Mitchell also laid into the 30-year-old, saying sick children were more deserving of support
After the first incident in 2018, Folau said he was counselled by RA that he could share his religious beliefs but should ‘do it in a more respectful way’. Pictured: Boronia Heights
‘If you are truely (sic) interested in supporting a Christian cause… do not donate to the #Folau fund,’ he posted on Twitter.
But former Australian Christian Lobby chief Lyle Shelton defended Folau, saying ‘if Israel loses, we all do’.
Asked on Sydney radio 2GB if RA had a social media clause in his contract that would have prohibited him from speaking about his faith, Folau said ‘no, absolutely not’.
After the first incident in 2018, Folau said he was counselled by RA that he could share his religious beliefs but should ‘do it in a more respectful way’.
He believes he has done that while standing ‘up for the word of God’.
‘I’m always about sharing that from a place of love and believing in the Bible that people … have the opportunity to hear that, so they do repent if they choose to and turn away from [sin] and have an opportunity to be in heaven one day,’ he told 2GB.
Folau says he and wife Maria, an international netball player, have already spent more than $100,000 dealing with RA’s internal tribunal processes.
‘I believe the termination of my contract is unlawful, which is why I have started legal proceedings against Rugby Australia and Rugby NSW,’ Folau said.
‘Even if I win, Rugby Australia can appeal. There is every chance that a prominent test case like this could take years and eventually end up in the High Court of Australia.’