Bondi massacre hero Ahmed al-Ahmed has invested his new-found millions in gold bullion just moments after he was given expert advice in Sydney’s financial heartland.
Lunchtime workers gave him a rock star welcome as he walked through the CBD with his arm in a black sling, making him instantly recognisable to the strangers calling out and waving to him.
Mr al-Ahmed, 44, is still undergoing treatment on his arm and shoulder after heroically disarming Islamic terrorist Sajid Akram, 50, before allegedly being shot by Akram’s son Naveed, 24, on December 14.
After video of his bravery went viral around the world, well-wishers flooded a GoFundMe appeal in his name to donate more than $2.65million to him.
On Thursday, he travelled into Sydney city centre for some top-level financial advice on how best to invest his fortune as he tries to return to normal life since becoming world-famous.
Arriving for a 12.30pm appointment, he took the lift to the upper floor offices occupied by lawyers and financial advisers in the skyscraper at 25 Martin Place.
The tobacco shop owner, who has met world leaders, visited the US and been interviewed by international media in the wake of his heroism, spent more than two hours inside.
He emerged around 2.40pm and immediately made a beeline for the nearby ABC Bullion gold dealer, which recently had queues down the street as gold prices soared.
Bondi hero Ahmed al-Ahmed was given the VIP treatment at ABC Bullion where he was able to skip the usual queue and was ushered upstairs to private rooms where he bought gold bars
Ahmed al-Ahmed, escorted by an ABC Bullion security man, left the global gold trading premises after about 30 minutes in its upstairs rooms holding a bag of gold bars
Ahmed emerged from ABC Bullion clutching a bag of cast gold bars, which appeared to be three 1kg bars, valued up to $750,000, although he declined to confirm the amount
Mr al-Ahmed was given the VIP treatment by bullion bosses, skipping the line of prospective gold buyers, and ushered upstairs to the gold trader’s private rooms.
He exited just over half an hour later at 3.21pm with a white-shirted security guard holding up an umbrella in the teeming afternoon rain to accompany Ahmed.
He appeared to have three 1kg gold bars inside a white gift bag, gripped in his hand. He confirmed it was gold to the Daily Mail, but declined to reveal the exact amount.
ABC Bullion sells 1kg gold bars – 11.5cm long by 5.1cm wide, about the size of an old Nokia mobile phone – for $246,119.20 each. Three would be valued around $750,000.
Dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans, he seemed relaxed while holding his bag of treasure and paused to chat with strangers before heading into the ANZ Bank HQ.
Mr al-Ahmed was again escorted upstairs into the private executive area where he met with a female bank employee while resting his bag of gold on a desk.
After signing paperwork, Mr al-Ahmed left the bank where he was again greeted on the street by well-wishers who recognised him.
He told the Daily Mail that he was spending his GoFundMe millions on his family and on therapy and possible future surgery on his left shoulder.