The Block winners Omar and Oz address controversy over their record-breaking auction

The Block winners Omar and Oz address controversy over their record-breaking auction victory and their ‘millionaire mate’ bidder: ‘We do deserve it’

The Block’s Omar Slaimankhel and Ozman ‘Oz’ Abu Malik have addressed their controversial record-breaking auction win. 

The pair insist they ‘deserved’ the victory and their ‘friendship’ with millionaire bidder Adrian Portelli was simply smart networking. 

‘We put in work, not only the build, we put in work afterwards, as well. We reached out to so many people, we were non-stop, so hard work does pay off,’ Omar told A Current Affair on Tuesday evening. 

The Block’s Omar Slaimankhel and Ozman ‘Oz’ Abu Malik have addressed their controversial record-breaking auction win. The pair insisted they ‘deserved’ the victory and their ‘friendship’ with millionaire bidder Adrian Portelli was simply smart networking. Pictured with Adrian 

‘I feel like it happens in this country a lot. You do so well and the next day you’re trying to justify why you won,’ he continued. 

‘It’s unfortunate because we do deserve it and we did so well.’

The pair came under scrutiny over their ‘millionaire mate’ Adrian Portelli – the man whose aggressive bidding drove up the price of their Gisborne home.

'We put in work, not only the build, we put in work afterwards, as well. We reached out to so many people, we were non-stop, so hard work does pay off,' Omar told A Current Affair on Tuesday evening

‘We put in work, not only the build, we put in work afterwards, as well. We reached out to so many people, we were non-stop, so hard work does pay off,’ Omar told A Current Affair on Tuesday evening 

'I feel like it happens in this country a lot. You do so well and the next day you're trying to justify why you won,' he continued. 'It's unfortunate because we do deserve it and we did so well.'

‘I feel like it happens in this country a lot. You do so well and the next day you’re trying to justify why you won,’ he continued. ‘It’s unfortunate because we do deserve it and we did so well.’

Adrian shared a celebratory post on Instagram of Monday of himself relaxing in a swimming pool with Omar and Oz, who won $1.6million in prize money during Sunday night’s nail-biting finale.

The photo showed the trio posing for a selfie in the pool while The Block was playing on the living room TV in the background.

It comes after Adrian, an online promotions guru with an estimated net worth of $8million, hit back at false claims he colluded with Omar and Oz to ‘rig’ their record-breaking auction on Sunday. 

Adrian opened the bidding for Omar and Oz's property at $4.5million, which was much higher than the $4.08million reserve price, and his aggressive style meant eventual buyer Danny Wallis ended up paying an eye-watering $5,666,666.66 for the 10-acre property

Adrian opened the bidding for Omar and Oz’s property at $4.5million, which was much higher than the $4.08million reserve price, and his aggressive style meant eventual buyer Danny Wallis ended up paying an eye-watering $5,666,666.66 for the 10-acre property 

He had opened the bidding on House 5 at $4.5million, which was much higher than the $4.08million reserve price.

His aggressive bidding meant eventual buyer Danny Wallis ended up paying an eye-watering $5,666,666.66 for the four-bedroom, 10-acre property, making the boys instant millionaires with total winnings of $1,686,666.66 – the biggest victory in The Block’s 18-year history.

Conspiracy theories have since run wild on social media with some viewers baselessly accusing the western Sydney mates of ‘rigging’ the auction by roping in Adrian to drive up the price.

Adrian, an online promotions guru with a net worth of $8million, hit back at false claims he colluded with Omar and Oz to 'rig' their record-breaking auction on Sunday

Adrian, an online promotions guru with a net worth of $8million, hit back at false claims he colluded with Omar and Oz to ‘rig’ their record-breaking auction on Sunday 

However, Adrian hit back at the claims and insisted he was a ‘genuine buyer’.

‘For everyone questioning the legitimacy of the auction, I was a genuine buyer with every intention to purchase that property,’ he wrote on Instagram.

‘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.’

He continued: ‘I’m happy to show my bank account for anyone that suggests these were dummy bids.’

'For everyone questioning the legitimacy of the auction, I was a genuine buyer with every intention to purchase that property,' he wrote on Instagram

‘For everyone questioning the legitimacy of the auction, I was a genuine buyer with every intention to purchase that property,’ he wrote on Instagram

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