Ashlyn Nassif: Glamorous EA Place lawyer, 27, charged with alleged multimillion dollar fraud

A glamorous lawyer who allegedly falsified a $150 million construction contract has been barred from contacting her father, a high-profile property developer, as he is out on $2.6 million bail.

Ashlyn Nassif, 27, faced Sydney’s Downing Center Local Court on Wednesday on charges of fraud after four family properties, including her father’s famous home and office, Jeans, were raided yesterday.

Nassif, the managing attorney at EA Legal Pty Ltd, appeared disheveled in a pink blouse and black trousers as she faced court from a cell at Surry Hills police station.

Magistrate Greg Grogin told Nassif his family was in the courtroom, with Nassif smiling and waving at the screen, handcuffs jingling around his wrists.

Moments later, her smile faded as Magistrate Grogin added that several members of the media were also in the gallery to report on the case.

The court heard that Nassif, who runs EA Legal Pty Ltd, allegedly submitted bogus sales contracts for the Castle Hill Skyview apartments, in the north-west of the city, sometime between September 15 and December 8, 2021.

Police will allege that the documents included a $10.5 million pre-sale condition for the development, which allowed a bank to provide a $150 million loan for construction.

There are no indications of wrongdoing by anyone else in the company or among his family.

Asking for Nassif’s bail, his lawyer, Stephen Stanton, told Judge Grogin that it was admitted that his client received no financial benefit from the alleged fraud.

Judge Grogin noted that Nassif has no criminal record, is of good character and is a New South Wales Supreme Court Advocate, but described the allegations as “serious” and “planned and sophisticated” in nature.

Prosecutors did not object to bail and granted it, but the magistrate ordered strict conditions to assuage concerns that she might interfere with witnesses or fail to appear in court.

Under the conditions, Magistrate Magistrate Grogin said Nassif must surrender his passport before release, post a $2.6 million guarantee and is barred from contacting 24 people, one of whom is his father.

She must also live with her mother in Concord, report to the Burwood police station every day between 8 am and 8 pm, abide by a 9 pm to 6 am curfew.

You must not enter or approach any Australian airport or departure point. She will be released later on Wednesday.

Early Tuesday, NSW Police executed search warrants at four properties, including his father Jean’s home and business.

Nassif was subsequently questioned for hours after attending Sydney’s Day Street Police Station before later being charged.

Nassif spent hours being questioned by police Tuesday after police raided her business and three other properties.

Mr. Nassif is currently in his home country of Lebanon, where he is reportedly recovering from a medical procedure.

A statement from NSW Police said the raids occurred on businesses in the Sydney CBD, Concord and Chiswick at around 9:30am on Tuesday.

Nassif later turned herself in to the police, was arrested, charged, and denied bail.

She previously worked as a property developer at her father’s company and is a director of her own law firm,

According to the firm’s website, EA Legal “is a multidisciplinary law firm specializing in real estate, urban, construction, commercial and property law.”

In the ‘Meet the team’ section, Nassif describes herself as ‘a key adviser to one of Australia’s largest property development and construction companies, as well as private investors and developers’.

“Ashlyn has earned the trust and respect of many established businesses and individuals by assisting with their complex real estate transactions, real estate developments, financing, and business transactions,” the bio reads.

‘Ashlyn believes in giving back to those in need and is a member of several charities.’

He also notes that he is a committee member of the Property Council of Australia and lists his hobbies as “reading, traveling, going to the beach and spending time with family.”

Nassif is due to appear in court on March 15.

According to her law firm’s website, Nassif “leads EA Legal and is a key adviser to one of Australia’s largest property development and construction companies, as well as private investors and developers.”

Property developer Jean Nassif left Australia for rural Lebanon and informed a committee of inquiry just days before the parliamentary inquiry into alleged wrongdoing by councilors on Hills Shire Council (pictured with his wife Nisserine Nassif)

Jean Nassif rose to prominence in 2019 after gifting his second wife, Nisserine ‘Nissy’ Nassif, a $480,000 yellow Lamborghini for Valentine’s Day.

In 2019, Mr Nassif uploaded a video of himself introducing the luxury vehicle to the mother of his children with the comment: ‘Congratulations Mrs Nassif… do you like it?’

While the flamboyant property developer was in Lebanon, he was unable to attend a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry into alleged wrongdoing by local councillors.

The investigation is into Hills Shire Council in the north-west of the city and the alleged role the councilors played in property developments.

Jean Nassif rose to prominence in 2019 after gifting his wife Nisserine ‘Nissy’ Nassif (pictured) a $480,000 yellow Lamborghini for Valentine’s Day.

Nassif recently wrote to the committee to inform them that he is in a remote part of Lebanon where he is from until March and is therefore unable to attend the investigation, requesting that it be postponed if his evidence is needed.

In the letter, Mr Nassif denied any wrongdoing, saying he “had not met with any of the current Hills Shire Council directors.”

‘I don’t know if they support my developments. I don’t know if they are more or less supportive of my development than the previous advisors.’

Mr Nassif strongly disputed claims by Castle Hill MP Ray Williams that he paid large sums of money to elect new councilors in The Hills Shire to support his future development applications.