Northwood mansion fire: Steve Nassif, Adams Bett face court over alleged arson of Sydney home
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Two men accused of torching a harborside estate home worth $24 million are facing court for the first time.
Property magnate Steve Nassif, 69, and Adams Kipkosgei Bett, 20, were arrested on Wednesday morning, accused of destroying Northwood’s sprawling seven-bedroom house on Sydney’s lower north shore in a night fire on September 3.
Mr Nassif appeared in Penrith Local Court on Thursday and was granted strict probation prior to his sentencing in Bankstown Local Court on 12 January.
Sergeant Leon Payne argued against Mr Nassif obtaining bail, telling the court that the defendant had access to “significant amounts of money” and a “link” to the current owners Ouyan “Owen” Chen and his wife. Xiao HongLi.
Sergeant Payne told the court that Nassif had admitted during an interview with police that he and Chen, a fund and property developer, had gone camping and hunting together in the past.
There is no indication that Mr. Chen was charged with any crime or was involved in the fire that broke out in the estate house.
Two men have been arrested over an arson attack that reduced a luxury mansion on Sydney’s North Shore to rubble in September (pictured is fire)
Property developer Steve Nassif (pictured), 69, was escorted out of his home in Wentworth Falls, some 60km west of Sydney, in handcuffs early Wednesday morning. Adams Kipkosgei Bett, 20, was arrested at Punchbowl with police alleging that he started the fire at the mega-mansion.
The $24 million mansion in Northwood, on Sydney’s lower north shore, caught fire on September 3 and specialist forensic officers later determined that the fire was set deliberately.
As part of Mr. Nassif’s bail conditions, he must report to the local police station every day, not leave his home outside the hours of 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and not come within 10 km from an international port of departure.
Nassif must also post a $400,000 bond as part of his bond, which he will lose if he fails to comply with his strict conditions.
The court heard that Nassif owned a farm worth at least $1.5 million and was willing to post collateral of up to $1 million to obtain bail. ABC reported.
At Bankstown Local Court on Thursday, Nassif’s co-defendant, Mr Bett, did not apply for bail, and his matter will return to the same court for mention on January 12.
Both men have been charged with destroying or damaging property at the company by means of fire or explosives.
Police are also looking for a third man, who has not yet been arrested, wanted in connection with organizing the arson attack.
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Puffett revealed on Wednesday that it was a tip from a member of the public that led to the arrest of one of the men.
The dramatic arrests came two weeks after detectives with the New South Wales Arson Squad put out a call for information after investigations stalled.
Police will allege that Nassif (pictured in handcuffs) was involved in the mansion fire
On November 29, police released footage of Northwood Street the night of the fire and asked anyone who saw a silver Toyota HiAce van with a roof rack near Cliff Road at that time to come forward.
Street CCTV showed the area to be pitch black until a fireball erupted inside the house.
A man was then captured running towards the truck shortly after the flames engulfed him, and police believe he left the scene in the Toyota truck.
Specialist sniffer dogs from NSW Fire and Rescue were brought in to investigate the fire and the expert animals detected traces of an accelerant in the ruins of the property.
Despite the best efforts of the firefighters, the home sustained significant damage, and coroner’s officers determined that the fire was allegedly ignited deliberately.
No one was home at the time and no injuries were reported.
On November 29, police released footage of Northwood Street the night of the fire and asked anyone who saw a silver Toyota HiAce van with a roof rack (pictured) driving near Cliff Road at the time to come forward.
It took emergency workers about two hours to put out the flames. The seven-bedroom house was almost completely destroyed.
Before the house burned down, the property was one of the largest private lots in the city, with a 150-foot water frontage.
The 5,000-square-foot property jutted out into the Lane Cove River and was bordered by Federation-style estates.
The property had been embroiled in neighborhood development disputes for the past five years.
Until late last year, when it was reluctantly sold, the waterfront property was the home of the Rossi family, which Mary and Theo Rossi purchased in 1961.
A television pioneer and travel business owner, Mary lived there until she passed away at the age of 95 last year, having raised 10 children in the home with her husband.
The Rossi family sold the seven-bedroom home with a tennis court and boathouse in November 2021 for $24.1 million.
Before the estate house burned down, the property was one of the largest private lots in the city, with a 150-foot water frontage.
Theo and Mary Rossi (pictured) bought the seven-bedroom Northwood house in 1961 and raised ten children in the now-destroyed heritage home.
Its current owner, Chen, also owns the house next door, which he bought for $5.6 million in 2007.
The developer’s plans to tear down and rebuild the house were reportedly denied by Lane Cove Council after the panel argued that the proposal would have “unacceptable impacts” on the heritage house next door.
However, later in September, the council gave the green light to the plans after revisions were made to Mr. Chen’s original proposal.
The council said the new plans, which had reduced the height of the entire house, had “effectively addressed the reasons for the original refusal”.
A council spokesman said at the time that the fire had not influenced the assessment of the development which included a games room, nine bedrooms and a swimming pool.