Notorious Australian conman Peter Foster was hiding out in a lavish $1,200-a-week estate with picturesque views of Victoria’s Macedon Ranges when he was captured by an elite team of ‘fugitive hunters’.

Australian Federal Police officers knocked down the doors of the 58 years old Short Road house in Gisborne. This was six months after the man was accused of evading court and committing a cryptocurrency-related crime worth a quarter million dollars. 

Foster was discovered by heavily armed Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team under a deck. He was naked and wearing track pants with a cheap white shirt, but he was taken into custody and then dragged off.

According to police, Foster lived ‘quite comfortably’. An additional man was found at the home and is under investigation for any assistance that he might have given the serial crook.  

It has six bedrooms and 360 degrees views. The property’s rental records show that it was rented out at $1,200 per week since August. 

Notorious Australian conman Peter Foster (pictured) was captured by an elite team of 'fugitive hunters' six months after he allegedly skipped court charged with a million-dollar cryptocurrency scam.

Famous Australian conman Peter Foster was arrested by an elite group of “fugitive hunters” six months after being accused of skipping court in a multi-million dollar cryptocurrency fraud.

Foster was captured inside a six-bedroom luxury estate (pictured) which overlooks Victoria's Macedon Ranges

Foster was photographed in a luxury six-bedroom estate overlooking Victoria’s Macedon Ranges.

The lavish home, which has panoramic views of the valley, has been rented out since August for $1200-a-week

Since August, the lavish property with stunning views overlooking the valley has been available for rent at $1200/week 

Photos posted online show the house, which came fully-furnished,  filled with opulent furniture and interior decorations

Photos posted online show the house, which came fully-furnished,  filled with opulent furniture and interior decorations

The property has a wrap-around deck, pingpong table, three bathrooms, and five car spaces. Pictured: The kitchen

It has five garage spaces and includes a wrap-around deck with pingpong, three bathrooms and three kitchens. Photo: The kitchen  

Two-storey house, situated on 10 acres of lush bushland, was fully furnished. Pictures online show each room decorated with fine homeware and art. 

The house is reached via a long, winding driveway. It’s located in private bushland more than 200 metres from the main road. 

Panoramic windows encase the entire façade which faces towards the only incoming road to the house, giving guests full view of anyone who may be approaching the premises. 

Photographs of the interior reveal a telescope mounted inside the living area, which looks out onto rolling hills stretching into Lerderderg State Park.

Additional amenities include a wraparound deck and ping-pong table. There are also three bathrooms, three outdoor dining areas, five parking spaces, as well as three other facilities. 

Foster had allegedly been running a new gambling scam when federal police busted through the doors of the luxury rural estate on Tuesday, The Australian reports. 

According to some reports, the fraud involved a business that had been created using the identity of a deceased person.  

Pictures of the raid reveal him writhing as the officers descend upon the rural property.

Images of the dramatic raid show Foster quivering on the floor (pictured) as officers descend on the rural premises

Photographs of Foster’s dramatic raid reveal him quavering on the ground (pictured), as the officers descend upon the rural property.

The property, set on ten acres, is nestled in bushland more than 200 metres away from the main road (pictured)

Set on ten acres, the property can be found in bushland at more than 200m away from main roads (pictured).

He initially attempted to flee the tactical officers under a wooden deck. However, he eventually escaped when the threat of using force was made. 

The Australian was then reported by sources to have complained that he had a medical condition. He began to move around and complain, so paramedics were dispatched. To prevent further injury, the Australian was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital.   

Foster did not appear before a Sydney court in May on charges of fraud and the electronic tracker had stopped sending signals. 

At the time, his lawyer admitted that he did not know where his client was.

Foster is being accused of concocting $1.7million in Bitcoin from a Hong Kong retired pilot as part of a sports betting fraud.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Nigel Ryan stated that the arrest was made to warn those most wanted and dangerous fugitives who may be hiding in Australia.

He stated that AFP’s unique technical and forensic abilities are again proving to criminals that there’s no place to hide.

“There’s no safe place for Australian criminals. With our partners agencies, the AFP works tirelessly to ensure that criminals are tried and brought to justice.

“The FAST Arrest continues to highlight the close relationship the AFP maintains with the state and territorial police in fighting transnational and serious organised crime.” 

Peter Foster, a notorious conman, has been arrested six months after he allegedly skipped court while facing fraud-related charges (pictured during his arrest in August last year)

Peter Foster is a notorious conman and was taken into custody six months after he skipped court to face fraud-related charges.

Foster – using the alias Bill Dawson – allegedly promised a series of investors including pilot Konstantinos ‘Dino’ Stylianopoulosas ‘guaranteed returns’ on their money by having a mathematician predict the outcome of sports matches.

Prosecutors say Stylianopoulosas transferred Foster $2 million in cryptocurrency over the course of nine months between 2019 and 2020, in amounts ranging from $126,000 to $890,000.

Investors claim their investment in Sports Predictions was a waste of money. Prosecutors allege no bets were placed, but instead the money went to Foster.

The alleged con was discovered by police when Stylianopoulosas reached out to IFW Global’s team of investigators. They then assisted officers in tracking Foster down.

He was tracked down and taken to Far North Queensland. In August, he was dramatically arrested.

Foster outside court on April 22. The case against him involves allegations he conned $1.7million in Bitcoin out of a retired pilot in Hong Kong as part of a sports betting scam

Foster outside court on April 22. He is accused of concocting $1.7million of Bitcoin from a Hong Kong retired pilot as part of a scam in sports betting.

IFW Global captured footage of Foster’s arrest. It showed two officers in jogger costumes running toward Foster before they tackled him to the ground. 

NSW was the location of the cryptocurrency exchange which was responsible for the transaction. 

Foster was released by bail after the hearing, but Foster was placed under house arrest.

That hearing took place on May 20, with Foster’s lawyer Justin Lewis telling the court the pair met in his office in Sydney that day at 11.30am.

Foster told Mr Lewis that Foster would be there, but Foster was not available by noon. He couldn’t even be reached because Foster had been released on bail.

The Australian Federal Police said Foster, 59, was arrested near the Victorian town of Gisborne in the state's Macedon Ranges after a six month search

After a six-month search, Foster was found near Gisborne, Victoria, in Australia’s Macedon Ranges.

Foster became infamy after he caused ‘Cheriegate’ in 2002. It was revealed that Foster had assisted Tony Blair, then the UK Prime Minister, to buy two homes at discounted prices. 

Cherie originally denied Foster, an established fraudster from the UK who was already serving time in prison, was part of the deal. However, after emails were exposed by the Daily Mail she had to apologize.

Foster is not the first to disappear while in legal trouble this year.

He started a series of businesses to promote a tea brand he called an “ancient Chinese weight loss trick”.

Foster pictured outside court in September 2019. He was dramatically arrested in August last year after being tracked down to a beach in far north Queensland

Foster seen outside court September 2019. In September 2019, Foster was taken outside court after he was tracked down to Far North Queensland’s beach.

Peter Foster is pictured leaving the Downing Centre District Court, in Sydney in April.

Peter Foster, seen leaving Downing Centre District Court (Sydney), April. 

Foster outside a Gold Coast court in 2012. He was arrested for the first time in 1983 for a fake £40,000 insurance claim over a cancelled boxing match

Foster, outside of a Gold Coast Court in 2012. He was arrested for the first time at the age of 20 for a fake £40,000 insurance claim over a cancelled boxing match

Foster actually made ordinary black tea. Each time Foster was investigated, Foster set up a new company. In the US, Foster was finally jailed for his fraud.

Foster had already served jail time for fraud when he helped Cherie Blair, the wife of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, buy two cut-price homes in 2002

Foster, who was serving time in jail for fraud when Foster helped Cherie Blair, the ex-Prime Minister of UK Tony Blair, to purchase two low-price houses in 2002, had been already sentenced.

He was released from prison for promoting a “thigh reduction cream” in Britain.

His British warrant for arrest in Australia led to him being abducted again.

He spent some time in Fiji 2001 and then returned to Britain where he met Carole Caplin. Carole was Cherie Blair’s style expert at the time.

Carole was the one who introduced Foster to Cherie. Carole helped Cherie purchase two properties at discounted rates in Bristol.

Cherie first denied Foster’s involvement in the scandal, but the Daily Mail published emails between Foster and Cherie.

Cherie called Foster star in them and stated to Foster that they were on the same wavelength.

Cherie, who was shocked to learn about Foster’s past, offered a sincere public apology.

She said that “Some balls are dropped” because there isn’t enough time in the day.

PETER FOSTER’S LIFE AND TIMES  

Early Years

Foster started promoting boxing matches and nightclubs on the Gold Coast as a youngster in the late 70s. After trying to sell tickets in Australia for an Ali-Muhammad Ali fight, Foster was made bankrupt by the Australian government in early 1980s. For trying to get insurance on a cancelled fight, he was also penalized in Britain with a $A100,000.

Drink Slimming Teas

Foster remained unaffected and he forged relationships with several high-profile British women who helped him promote the’slimming” Bai Lin Tea. Foster fled Britain, fraudulently marketing the product under the name Chow Low Tea in America. He was arrested and sentenced to four months imprisonment. In the UK, he was also imprisoned when he came back to Britain in 1995.

Cherie-Gate

Foster caused two weeks of chaos for Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister. He became Cherie Blair’s financial advisor in 2002. Carole Caplin and Foster, her confidante, were’middlemen’ to Mrs Blair when they helped with the purchase of two flats at Bristol.

Fijian Follies

Foster, who was being chased by police because he forger documents about his criminal background, stripped to his underwear and dived off a bridge in a river. However, he fell on a boat and was captured.

Then, he goes on hunger strike and prevents hospital staff from turning him in to the police. He then eludes Vanuatu by boat while he is being held on bail.

Slim Pickings

Federal Court declares Foster bankrupt in January 2018, after he refused to pay the court costs for SensaSlim weight loss scam. 

2014 – He was imprisoned for contempt in court regarding SensaSlim. Before that, he had been hiding around a year on a property close to Byron Bay.

Sport Rorts

Foster arrived six hours late for his October 2018 sentencing in Sydney after he was sentenced to possessing an Irish passport to obtain an offshore gambling license to trade in sports. 

According to his lawyer, the reason for his delay was food poisoning.