Dr Chau Chak Wing is most commonly referred to as a businessman and philanthropist, known for his deep pockets and even deeper political connections.
But on Tuesday, Western Australian Liberal MP Andrew Hastie used parliamentary privilege to name Dr Chau for his alleged involvement in the bribery of John Ashe, a former president of the UN General Assembly.
SBS News has contacted Dr Chau's company, Kingold Group, for comment about the allegations.
Here's what else we know about him.
Property mogul
Dr Chau was born in southern China before moving to Australia in the 1980s. He is an Australian citizen and frequently quoted in the media as a former house painter, but he made his fortune by investing in China’s property market.
A billionaire property developer, Dr Chau is the founder and Chairman of the Kingold Group, headquartered in Guangzhou, China. The business deals with a wide range of subjects including real estate, finance, health education, hospitality and media.
The company's website lists Dr Chau as successfully developing a number of landmark projects including the Guangzhou International Trade Centre. The biography also says he devotes a “great deal of time to promoting China-Australia exchanges and cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, trade, culture and education.”
Political donor
Dr Chau has strong connections to senior figures on both sides of Australian politics. According to The Financial Review he has donated over $4 million to Australia’s major political parties since 2004, including to the Liberal Party, the Labor Party and the Nationals.
Dr Chau Chak Wing (left) at a donation ceremony Source: SBS Cantonese
Most recently he has also made a name for himself as a generous supporter of tertiary education. Dr Chau donated $25 million to Sydney's University of Technology in 2010 which went toward the construction of the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building (designed by notable architect Frank Gehry) as well as scholarships.
Sydney University was also on the receiving end of Dr Chau's generosity after he donated $15 million to establish a museum.
Personal assets
In 2015, Dr Chau was revealed as the buyer of James Packer’s $70 million Sydney mansion in an off-market exchange. The sale set a record for the highest price ever paid for a residential property in Australia.
His home in China is believed to be even more extravagant, including a 27-hole golf course, a 1000-seat auditorium, and a 6000-square-metre museum reportedly housing more than 20,000 Chinese treasures.
Dr Chau bought La Mer, James Packer's home in Vaucluse, Sydney, for a record fee. Source: Domain.com.au
According to the AFR's BRW Rich List, former Australian prime ministers John Howard, Bob Hawke and Kevin Rudd have all been guests at the luxury property.
Dr Chau is married and has a daughter, Winky Chow. Ms Chow has several ties to the Labor Party having worked for former NSW Labor premier Bob Carr. She also was said to have worked for Chinese language newspaper Australian New Express Daily, owned by her father.
