Geoffrey Edelsten

Geoffrey Edelsten was an Australian businessman and former physician who made headlines for his unconventional medical practices, lavish lifestyle, and high-profile relationships. He was born in 1943 to Jewish migrant parents who owned a lingerie retail chain. He graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1966 and became a general practitioner. He established a number of 24-hour clinics that featured chandeliers, grand pianos, and mink-covered examination tables. He also owned a record company, Hit Productions, and produced several singles for local bands. In 1985, he became the first private owner of a major Australian football team, the Sydney Swans, which he bought for $6.3 million. He attracted star players such as Greg Williams and Gerard Healy, and introduced cheerleaders and flamboyant uniforms to the club. He sold his share of the Swans in 1988 after being struck off the medical registry in New South Wales for professional misconduct. In 1990, he was jailed for perverting the course of justice and soliciting Christopher Dale Flannery to assault a former patient. He was released after a year and moved to the United States, where he continued his business ventures in health care, real estate, and fashion. In 2005, he returned to Australia and founded Allied Medical Group with a business partner. The company administered 17 medical centres and employed around 250 general practitioners by 2010. Edelsten was not a shareholder or owner of the company, but acted as a consultant and spokesperson. Edelsten was married three times, each time to a much younger woman. His first wife was Leanne Nesbitt, a model and nurse whom he married in 1984 and divorced in 1988. His second wife was Brynne Gordon, an American fitness instructor whom he married in 2009 and divorced in 2014. His third wife was Gabi Grecko, an American model and DJ whom he married in 2015. Edelsten was known for his extravagant spending habits and eccentric fashion choices. He owned mansions, helicopters, and a fleet of Rolls-Royces and Lamborghinis with license plates such as Macho, Spunky and Sexy. He also wore colourful suits, jewellery, and hats to various social events. He claimed bankruptcy in both Australia and the United States in 2014, citing a number of bad business deals. Edelsten died on 11 June 2021 at his apartment in Melbourne from complications from a heart attack. He was 78 years old.