On November 6, police raided an $18 million Brighton mansion occupied by Finks national president Mark Balsillie amid an escalating investigation into a campaign of violence targeting property developer Simon Pitard and his family’s aged care empire.
Detectives from Taskforce Echo searched Balsillie’s luxury residence just hours after two masked men fired 10 shots at an Arcare aged care facility in Maidstone. Later that day, police publicly identified the gang as an organised crime priority.
The raid followed the October 27 firebombing of Pitard’s Brighton property, where two luxury cars were destroyed. On October 28, an innocent 52-year-old woman sustained serious burns when her Cheltenham townhouse was firebombing in a case of mistaken identity, which remains under investigation.
Authorities operating at the federal level are additionally looking into the ownership of Balsillie’s luxury house alongside a recent $11 million mortgage application submitted under the name of a 23-year-old colleague connected to the bikie figurehead.
Pankaj Goyal owns the mansion built by Harcon Projects
Property registry documents show that the official titleholder of the luxury estate is billionaire property developer and former taxi driver Pankaj “Harry” Goyal. His construction company, Harcon Projects, built the four-level home, which features a rooftop garden, indoor pool, sauna, and climate-controlled cellar.
According to five underworld and real estate industry sources who requested anonymity due to safety risks, Balsillie has resided in the property for the past six months and informed acquaintances that he was in the process of purchasing it from Goyal. Law enforcement authorities grew aware of the prospective property transfer after an $11 million loan application listed a 23-year-old associate of Balsillie as the borrower.
The young man, who lives with his parents in Bentleigh East, would have been required to make monthly repayments of almost $70,000 if the loan proceeded. On September 9, he replaced Balsillie as the sole director and shareholder of AP Global Aust Pty Ltd, a company originally registered by the Finks boss in January.
When reached by journalists, Goyal acknowledged ownership of the Brighton estate but declined to answer repeated inquiries regarding his agreement with Balsillie, while also refuting claims that the bikie had ever driven his vehicle. “is definitely not on the lease” Goyal said regarding Balsillie, who might be living in the mansion.
“I've got another 100 [properties]. So what has that got to do with me?” Goyal, property developer, said.
Did You Know? Pankaj “Harry” Goyal has amassed expansive property interests holding shares in dozens of units across Brighton, Shepparton, Rockbank, Craigieburn, Thornhill Park, Moorabool, Truganina, Little River, and Charlemont worth more than $400 million.
Police create specialist taskforce following property searches
As part of the November 6 blitz, detectives carried out firearm prohibition order compliance searches at another five properties in Narre Warren North, Safety Beach, Mount Eliza, and Dallas, though no arrests were made. Victoria Police subsequently created a specialist taskforce combining officers from Taskforce Echo, Operation Phoenix, and the Viper Taskforce to target the Finks.
“My message to the Finks … is very clear: if you choose to continue your involvement in serious and organised crime, Victoria Police is coming after you,” said Detective Superintendent Wayne Cheesman.
Born to retired Victoria Police veteran Andrew Balsillie—who completed a career exceeding four decades within the force—Balsillie is currently 42 years old. Balsillie’s criminal record includes guilty pleas to extortion and possessing counterfeit money in 2016, and possessing and trafficking cocaine in 2022.
Who owns the Brighton mansion and why did police raid properties
Who is the registered owner of the Brighton mansion?
Land title records identify the registered owner of the $18 million property as property developer Pankaj “Harry” Goyal, whose construction company built the four-level home.
What prompted the recent police raids on Finks properties?
Detectives searched several properties on November 6 following a campaign of violence against property developer Simon Pitard and his family’s aged care empire, which included a shooting at an Arcare facility in Maidstone.
What role does the 23-year-old associate have in the property inquiries?
The 23-year-old associate of Balsillie was named as the applicant for an $11 million loan tied to the home and replaced Balsillie as the sole director of AP Global Aust Pty Ltd on September 9.
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