AFL great and Dancing With The Stars champion Anthony Koutoufides has been accused of exploiting his fans after becoming embroiled in an ugly spat with the builder of his mansion.
Known simply as ‘Kouta’, the now 50-year old has come under fire for failing to pay the final instalment on his multi-million dollar property and changing the locks to keep the builder out.
Daily Mail Australia has been provided legal documentation from both the builder and Koutoufides’ legal team outlining the bitter dispute.
Kouta was an AFL powerhouse in the ’90s and early 2000s, playing 278 games for Carlton including a premiership-winning season in 1995.
He went on to become a reality television star with roles such as ‘Kouta the Greek God’ in the Seven Network’s 2008 revival of Gladiators and two stints on Dancing With The Stars, where he was crowned champion in 2006.
The builder, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed Koutoufides and his wife Susie – who is listed as the property owner – provided no explanation for failing to pay the bill in October, which now sits at about $180,000 and growing.
The builder – a mad Carlton fan – has accused Kouta of taking advantage of his support of the Blues.
AFL legend Anthony ‘Kouta’ Koutoufides and his wife Susie are accused of refusing to pay the final instalment on their multi-million dollar property
Koutoufides is a fitness guru and former Carlton superstar
His claims are hotly contested by Koutoufides and his wife, who have engaged Melbourne lawyers Olivia Terziovski and Imran Fatah to fight their case.
Mr Fatah told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that it was his client’s position that construction of the house was six months late and that independent expert inspectors had since found numerous defects.
‘These inspectors have also been engaged to prepare independent inspection reports for the purposes considering options for litigation,’ he said.
‘Our clients engaged three building experts in plumbing, general building and structural engineering who have advised that there are significant issues in the works. We are waiting on their reports so we can advise our client of her options.’
Documents supplied to Mr Fatah, and seen by Daily Mail Australia, claim Koutoufides and his wife turned on the builders in October ‘without prior indication or notice that any serious dispute had arisen between the parties’.
When the builder arrived at the property on October 19, Koutoufides was allegedly waiting in his car.
Upon seeing the builder, he exited his vehicle and said words to the effect ‘I wouldn’t bother, the locks have been changed’, the documents stated.
Before: The block Kouta’s mansion was built on at Ivanhoe, north-east of Melbourne’s CBD
AFTER: The completed Kouta mansion
The builder claimed Koutoufides allowed him inside to collect some items before he later received a legal letter from the former footy star’s lawyer.
‘We are instructed to immediately make a report of your conduct to the Victorian Building Authority in relation to your fitness to be a registered builder,’ the letter to the builder stated.
‘You are to refrain from attending our client’s property and from approaching her or her family.’
While the builder asked not to be named out of fear of reprisals from Carlton fanatics, a representative named ‘Sophie’ told Daily Mail Australia the matter was now headed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
‘His wife’s name is on the title, but Kouta is the mastermind. Whether you want to call him a celebrity or a has-been, he’s definitely creative,’ she said.
The builder believes Koutoufides lulled him into a false sense of security on the back of his reputation with Carlton.
‘He’s obviously taking it to his advantage having a following,’ Sophie said.
Koutoufides in action for Carlton during a 2005 clash against the Sydney Swans
Kouta was crowned Dancing With The Stars champ in 2006 alongside Natalie Lowe
‘The home that was built is incredible and close to the value of $5million.’
She claimed further: ‘The final stage payment has not been paid and obviously now it’s compounding interest and all the rest of it.’
The Ivanhoe property – north-east of Melbourne’s CBD – had been built from the ground-up.
The Koutoufides’ claimed they had no choice but to move into the home due to them being kicked out of their rental property after the alleged construction delays.
The builder was forced to dig into his own pocket to pay the various contractors still owed money for the work they performed on Koutoufides’ house.
‘Every industry is facing their own pressures, but builders don’t need this and obviously for a builder to keep going on, they need the support,’ Sophie said.
Mr Fatah outright dismissed all of the claims made about Koutoufides and said his clients had already lodged a complaint with Master Builders Victoria in relation to the conduct of the builder and one of its employees.
The couple claims that the employee sent an email to a number of the builder’s subcontractors providing their contact details.
One message seen by Daily Mail Australia referred to the Koutoufides’ as ‘bastards’.
‘Please help us win this fight not only for ourselves but for you and all other contractors owed money,’ the employee wrote.
Mr Fatah claimed the emails had resulted in a ‘vicious campaign’ against Koutoufides and his wife.
Kouta has made a fortune after football on the back of healthy living
Kouta flaunts his sponsor Lexus on his Instagram page, which has more than 42,000 followers
Kouta classes disgraced AFL player manager Ricky Nixon as a mate
But the builder’s representative maintained Koutoufides and his wife cut off all communication and had refused to participate in any form of mediation.
‘He’s just moved in and he’s… managed to change the locks and the whole family has moved in. No-one knows why. No-one knows what’s going on. No-one can put it down to anything,’ Sophie said.
‘They just ghost them. You don’t hear anything.’
The builder has engaged lawyers in order to take the fight to VCAT.
Meanwhile Koutoufides and his wife are in the process of compiling materials to make a complaint to the Victorian Building Authority, Mr Fatah said.
‘We are waiting on the reports of the independent experts so they can consider their options in relation to litigation and are also considering defamation action against (the builder),’ he said.
