Vaucluse house that kicked off tech billionaire’s woes sold for $15.1m

To the seven buyers who registered to buy a six-bedroom mansion in Vaucluse on Wednesday night, it was all about the stellar views across Sydney Harbour – and perhaps the recently renovated luxe interiors. The reserve of $15 million might have been a factor.

The marketing never mentioned one of its vendors, Mark Chikarovski, is in jail awaiting sentencing for his part in an alleged multimillion-dollar dark web drug supply operation.

The Vaucluse house that wellness entrepreneur Linda Rogan said was purchased for her to live in by Richard White.Credit: Domain

Ray White Double Bay’s Elliott Placks doubts many of the buyers were aware the house had been the centrepiece of weeks of headlines about one of Australia’s richest people, WiseTech Global chief Richard White.

“There was a bit of a language barrier so it’s hard to tell how much the buyers took in about it all,” Placks said.

Co-agent Jordan L’Estrange said six of the seven registered bidders were from China and weren’t interested in the headlines.

Ultimately, it sold under the hammer for $15.1 million to a businessman from China who bought it for his daughter, who already owns another house in Vaucluse.

Linda Rogan and WiseTech co-founder Richard White.Credit: Nick Moir and Oscar Colman

The result is a happy one that closes a torrid two years for the home’s different owners.

Back in the boom of 2022, the hillside mansion was just another bullish result of $13.1 million when it was sold to the company Maravillosa Properties, controlled by WiseTech Global’s chief and founder Richard White.

According to beauty entrepreneur and former Real Housewives of Sydney contender Linda Rogan, the house was intended for her to live in with her children. But she never moved into it before White’s now wife, former criminal defence lawyer Zena Nasser, discovered their clandestine relationship.

Instead, Rogan claimed she was locked out of the house and left “out of pocket” to the tune of almost $100,000 for the cost of furnishings.

In an ensuing court battle over the costs to furnish the house, Rogan alleged White expected sex in exchange for an investment in her company. This masthead does not suggest the allegations against White are true, only that they were made.

Rogan’s claims have not been tested after the matter settled outside of court on Monday, but they have led to sustained scrutiny of the WiseTech co-founder following a joint investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Financial Review involving allegations about his dealings with other female entrepreneurs.

Early last year, after Rogan claimed she was locked out of the property, it was resold for $11.5 million, representing a loss of almost $2.5 million including stamp duty.

The buyers were Hannah and Mark Chikarovski, son of former NSW Liberal leader Kerry Chikarovski.

Mark Chikarovski with Kerry Chikarovski. Mark Chikarovski was arrested at a Bondi Junction apartment on May 18, 2023, and was taken to Waverley police station where he was charged with 31 offences.

But within a week of Mark Chikarovski settling on the house, the NSW Crime Commission had lodged a restraining order on his half share of the property and executed a search warrant for his part in an alleged multimillion-dollar dark web drug supply operation.

Those freeze orders were lifted last month and Chikarovski pleaded guilty in June to seven charges, including three related to the supply and possession of drugs. He is due to be sentenced on November 1.