In the previous chapter I introduced the three properties listed as part of Alex McGaffin's estate. You may recall that when I investigated that vacant block of land in Lalor, I discovered McGaffin was not the owner at the time that the State Trustees told the Supreme Court that he was. It was someone named Garry Ryan.
Garry Ryan and Alex McGaffin were one and the same. But an awful lot of government trickery took place to prevent us from knowing that.
The State Trustees listed a Lalor property as an asset of Alex McGaffin's estate (left) without revealing that the property was actually in the. name of "Garry Ryan" (right).
The "Garry Ryan" Alias
Alex McGaffin, using the alias "Garry Ryan", purchased this vacant block of land in the western part of Lalor, near to Edgar's Creek, in 1977. He stated that his residential address at the time was a commercial premises.
The name of his signature witness matches the name and signature of one of his neighbours in Chappell St Thomastown, which is interesting, because it suggests at least some people in his day-to-day life probably knew him by more than one name.
The State Trustees had no authority to act as administrator for this property belonging to "Garry Ryan". The Supreme Court had only granted them authority to act for the estate of Alex McGaffin. Sure, they had listed the property itself as an estate asset, but according to the title, Garry Ryan, and only Garry Ryan, was the proprietor.
