Wheels fall off for motivational speaker

Kevin Abdulrahman (right) and brother Rami listed his yellow Ferrari for sale on Trade Me after withdrawing it from a giveaway promotion last year. Photo / kevinabdulrahman.com

A self-proclaimed millionaire motivational speaker who claims to have inspired millions of people has had his Ferrari sportscar repossessed.

Kevin Abdulrahman is pictured sitting on the bonnet of the Ferrari 360 Modena on his website, which describes the 28-year-old as an "an icon, an international author, an entrepreneur, a generous contributor, a fearless leader, a dreamer".

The website invites readers to order a copy of Mr Abdulrahman's book Winning the Game of Life or schedule him as a life coach or group speaker, for $5000 an hour. He has also authored Learning The Secrets Of The Rich.

Yet despite his public show of wealth, Badar Ltd, of which Mr Abdulrahman is the sole director and shareholder, bought the Ferrari with a loan from GE Finance.

Weekend Herald inquiries show GE Finance repossessed the $390,000 supercar on December 30, before it was sold at auction for a bargain $105,000 last weekend.

Waikato farmer Christopher Gibbs bought the bright yellow Modena for his wife at the Turners Auction, to match the Ferrari Scaglietti he got at $255,500 for himself.

Attempts to contact Mr Abdulrahman for comment were unsuccessful. His cellphone, 021 BILLION ,has been disconnected and the North Shore home he shared with brother Rami has been sold in a mortgagee sale.

Neighbours say the brothers, who are listed as students on the electoral roll, have left New Zealand.

But last year, Kevin and Rami Abdulrahman promised to give the Ferrari away to "one lucky" reader of Winning the Game of Life.

"We always have people joke with us saying 'Please return my car once you have taken it for a spin'. Now we are giving one lucky reader the opportunity to do just that," Rami Abdulrahman said in a press release.

Paul Henry interviewed Kevin Abdulrahman on the TVNZ Breakfast show as part of the publicity surrounding the Ferrari giveaway last June.

Yet, no one knew the Ferrari was bought with borrowed money, and shortly after the publicity stunt, it was listed for sale on Trade Me.

"Would prefer a swap for a car worth $30-$40k and rest cash top up. However, not too fussed will consider anything," Abdulrahman posted on the website under username diamondltd.

Mr Abdulrahman charted his own rags to riches story to the Sunday News: Just five years ago he was "flipping burgers" at the McDonald's restaurant in Belmont, North Shore.

After completing a three-year health sciences degree at the University of Auckland, he began selling Amex cards in city malls, then selling car alarms door to door - apparently making $2000 a week.

From there he moved into property development, from which he retired aged 25.

He is listed as a director and shareholder of six limited liability companies - Badar, Rick Dees, Gone in 60 Seconds, City High Holdings, TBL Publications and Aryan Trustees.

The registered site for all six companies is the Greenlane address of accountants Whaley Harris Durney.

Rick Dees Ltd lost a 2007 Supreme Court appeal after a property transaction went wrong, failing to fulfil the terms of the vendor's sale and purchase agreement. It was ordered to pay $15,000 in costs.

The Weekend Herald has learned Mr Abdulrahman was involved in USANA Health Services, an American nutritional supplements company. More than 11,000 New Zealand USANA distributors buy the product from the company and earn commission by selling the supplements and convincing others to become distributors.

He quickly rose to the rank of "Emerald Director" and would speak at USANA conferences held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Auckland, according to advertisements. There is no mention of the job on his CV.

While his whereabouts are now unknown, his motivational advice remains on his website: "Keep pushing the success train and don't let the cowboys slow you down."