Police and firefighters were called to the Manor Street property about 1.20am after offenders forced entry and poured accelerant along the driveway and over two luxury cars, which were both destroyed in the blaze. No one was injured.
"Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident which is believed to be targeted," a police spokesman said. The home, purchased by Pitard's wife Skye Pitard for $9.1 million in 2016, is near Brighton's 'Golden Mile'. The couple did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.
Pitard, 44, was director of more than 40 companies placed into liquidation after the collapse of Steller Property Group in 2019 with debts of $617 million. In 2022, he was banned from managing any corporation for three and a half years. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission found a subsidiary had not kept accurate records, had lent funds without proper assessment and had failed to make timely tax payments. Pitard attributed the collapse to "unfortunate market forces, and relationship and related issues" and told The Urban Developer he did not accept "any allegations of dishonesty or intentional misconduct or wrongdoing".
Pitard also faces a Federal Court claim by liquidators examining transactions at JOD Purchasing and Supply, a Steller-related firm that collapsed in 2023 with debts of $7.5 million including more than $1 million in unpaid wages. Liquidator Con Kokkinos of Worrells is scrutinising $1.2 million in pre‑liquidation transactions, $2.4 million in asset deals to related firms and $74 million in intercompany transfers. Kokkinos declined to comment.