Three developers donate $44,100 to Liberals through nine shell companies
Three property developers donated $44,100 to the Victorian Liberal Party using nine shell companies.
Three wealthy developers gave $44,100 to the Victorian Liberals between late April and early May. They used nine companies to make these donations.
All were named variations of Mensch Investments. Each company made a separate donation.
This kept each one under Victoria's limit of $5,190 over four years. The companies share the same directors and shareholders.
But the law treats them as separate entities. This creates a loophole.
David Scalzo's father built a $400 million nut importing business. Anthony Caligiuri runs a sewer contractor.
Eli Goldfinger is director of EGA Corporate Advisers, a consultancy focusing on business financial and property advice. All three are involved in a $2 billion industrial development in Melbourne's west.
The same loophole could apply under new federal political donation caps starting January 2027.
- $44,100
- Amount donated
- Nine
- Shell companies used
- $5,190 over four years
- Donation cap per entity
- $2 billion
- Industrial development value
Why it mattersWealthy donors can now give tens of thousands to political parties by splitting donations across multiple shell companies. This breaks campaign finance rules.
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