When cops pulled a 29-year-old man over in Brisbane and found methamphetamine, Viagra and ecstasy they weren’t inclined to believe he was a billionaire many times over.

Turns out bricklayer Phillip Johnathan Harrison had a trick up his sleeve when cops nabbed him in his Audi sports car, although his lawyer took some convincing.

Nick Hanly told Brisbane Magistrates’ Court he asked his client how he had come by his huge wealth, with Harrison replying he wasn’t at liberty to say.

Here’s where it gets really weird according to Sky News:

The lawyer revealed: “…At this point I was considering getting mental health to come in.”

But…Harrison showed Mr Hanly his online bank account which showed a cash balance of AU$596m (£316m) and a property portfolio of AU$1.56bn (£820m).

“I would not have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,” Mr Hanly said.

Such wealth would make Harrison as rich as a handful of Australian mining magnates and property kings.

So how did he amass such wealth without appearing on anyone’s radars? This from SCD:

He told A Current Affair he won the money overseas before changing his story.

“Sorry, not won it,” he told ACA.

“I earn it all overseas, through ideas and apps. I’ve been working on it for years.”

Turns out the answer may be far simpler than that:

…Harrison is believed to have used a phone app that mimics the Commonwealth Bank website. He then used this app to convince the lawyer of his wealth, the newspaper reports.

Harrison has had his passport removed and will appear again in court on April 18. Perhaps only then will we know the full story behind what has captured Australia’s attention over the Easter weekend, but that doesn’t mean you can’t line your pockets in the mean time.

Check out tomorrow’s Powerball draw – just the R1,6 billion to be won HERE – nab that one and people will be wondering how you became filthy stinkin’ rich in no time.

[sources:skynews&scd]

[imagesource:theguardian]