Daughter of controversial developer gets extra freedom amid fraud case worth $ 150 million
- Ashlyn Nassif sees bail conditions eased after appearing in court
- She is the daughter of the flamboyant property developer Jean Nassif
- Ms. Nassif is alleged to be involved in property fraud worth $150 million
The daughter of flamboyant property developer Jean Nassif has successfully persuaded the court to relax her bail conditions.
Ashlyn Nassif appeared in Sydney’s Downing Center court on Wednesday, less than two weeks after being released on charges of her alleged involvement in a $150 million property fraud.
Ms Nassif’s lawyer asked for her curfew to be extended past 9pm, a time imposed for her initial bail, and her request was granted by the magistrate.
The real estate tycoon’s daughter was arrested on Feb. 28 and charged with allegations that she gave banks bogus presale contracts to obtain a $150 million loan to finance one of her father’s Castle Hill developments.
Ms. Nassif was granted strict conditional bail the next day, with $2.6 million property as surety.
As part of her bail conditions, she must live with her mother in Concord, refrain from contacting 24 people, including her father, report daily to Burwood police station, and adhere to a curfew.
Ashlyn Nassif, daughter of property developer Jean Nassif, has convinced the court to relax her bail conditions. Ms. Nassif is on trial for her alleged involvement in real estate fraud
Police allege they submitted more than $10 million in bogus presale contracts to Westpac Bank over three months in late 2021 for more than a dozen apartments in the $900 million Skyview Castle Hill apartment tower complex.
The complex was built by her father’s development company, Toplace.
The court previously heard that the alleged bogus contracts led Westpac to make a $150 million loan to the Castle Hill complex.
An investigation into the development began after ‘serious flaws’ were found in one of the development’s towers.
The investigation led police to raid four properties, including the offices of Ashlyn Nassif’s firm EA Legal.
Police allege Ms. Nassif submitted more than $10 million in bogus presale contracts to Westpac Bank for more than a dozen apartments in the $900 million Skyview Castle Hill apartment tower complex
Police have not suggested that anyone else at the company was involved in any wrongdoing.
Ms Nassif’s father, Jean, who is currently abroad, took to social media when his daughter first appeared in court on March 1, writing ‘to my daughter, never forget I love you’.
“I hope you believe in yourself as much as I believe in you,” his post on Instagram said.
“When life tries to bring you down, I will always have your back. I can’t promise I’ll be here for the rest of your life… but what I can promise is that I’ll love you for the rest of mine’.
The complex was built by her father Jean’s development company, Toplace (Photo: Jean Nassif)
Mr Nassif is currently part of an upper house inquiry into Hills Shire Council decisions regarding the Toplace developments (Photo: Jean with his wife Nisserine Nassif)
Mr Nassif is currently part of an upper house inquiry into Hills Shire Council decisions regarding the Toplace developments.
He was wanted as a witness at the parliamentary inquiry but wrote to the committee informing them that he is in a remote part of Lebanon until March and therefore could not attend.
In the letter, Mr Nassif denied any wrongdoing and stressed that he had had no communication with the new councillors.
He also vigorously disputed claims by Castle Hill MP Ray Williams that he had paid large sums of money to elect new councilors to The Hills Shire to support his future development applications.
Williams had previously told the NSW Parliament that he had heard allegations that members had paid “significant sums to attract new councillors” who would support future development applications for Nassif’s company Toplace.
It was those comments that led to the upper house inquiry.