An Australian man who identifies as a sovereign citizen and demands to be called 'Man Living in Body' is on the brink of losing a significant inheritance, including a lakeside property, in a fresh legal confrontation.
The Core of the Legal Dispute
The Supreme Court of Victoria is set to hear a case brought by trustees of a family trust against the 56-year-old, formerly known as Gregory Norman Francis. The trustees allege that his refusal to cooperate is deliberately delaying the finalisation of his late mother's estate.
Court documents reveal that Mr Francis, who now uses the title 'Man', settled a claim against the estate of Sonja Heide Maria Francis in February 2023. This confidential deal entitled him to a capital distribution from the Geson Trust, which included the transfer of a property in Waranga Shores, Victoria.
A Stalemate Over Essential Details
Nearly three years on, the trustees state that 'Man' is refusing to provide critical information required to process the distribution. This includes his legal name for the Australian Taxation Office, his tax file number, date of birth, address, and copies of his latest tax return.
Trustee Geson Pty Ltd has accused him of breaching the settlement by failing to "do all things necessary" to complete the deal. The company is now seeking court orders to compel him to hand over the details by a strict deadline.
Potential Consequences and a History of Courtroom Antics
If 'Man' continues his non-cooperation, the trustees are asking for drastic orders. These would make him personally liable for any capital gains tax, stamp duty, or other costs linked to the property transfer. The trustee also seeks permission to wind up the trust regardless and to recover its legal costs from his remaining payout.
The individual has a long history of employing sovereign citizen arguments in court. In 2014, he appeared barefoot in Geelong Magistrates' Court over unpaid fines. When asked if he was Gregory Francis, he replied, "My mum told me never to talk to strangers, what is your name?" He later stated, "My title is Man."
In a 2017 County Court appearance, he argued with Judge Geoffrey Chettle, insisting, "My salutation is Man. Stop calling me Mr... I am a man living in body." The charges in that case were eventually dropped.
Australian courts have consistently rejected sovereign citizen ideology, labelling its arguments as "pseudolegal nonsense". The case emerges amid heightened scrutiny of the movement, following the alleged murder of two police officers by sovereign citizen advocate Dezi Freeman in August 2024.
Legal experts suggest that 'Man's' strategy is almost certain to fail, potentially leaving him with a substantial tax bill and little to show for his prolonged legal battle. The Supreme Court hearing will determine the fate of his inheritance.
