A controversial former politician had hundreds of {dollars} in money hidden inside his residence after he was declared bankrupt, a courtroom has heard.
Former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer wore a navy swimsuit and purple striped tie for the primary day of his fraud trial within the NSW District Court on Tuesday.
He is accused of constructing a false doc and utilizing three false paperwork to acquire a monetary benefit.
Police allege the 37-year-old falsely signed the title of a former solicitor in an effort to witness his personal signature in a doc submitted to the federal courtroom.
The first day of the trial centred round claims he made after he was declared bankrupt by the Federal Court in March 2018.
The courtroom heard that individuals who have been declared bankrupt should declare their property and belongings to a trustee appointed to handle their insolvency.
However, a police raid on Mehajer’s residence in Kirribilli – which boasts views of the harbour and metropolis skyline – revealed he had allegedly not adopted the directions.
Video proven to the courtroom of the police search exhibits an officer pulling fistfuls of $50 notes from a cabinet to make what he deems a “pretty big stack of cash”.
Underneath the hundreds of {dollars} was a drivers licence with Mehajer’s title and photograph on it, the courtroom heard.
The courtroom heard police seized a complete of $6530 from Mehajer’s cabinet throughout the thorough search of his residence, which was embellished with flashing fairy lights.
Insolvency professional Ragu Nith, who acted on behalf of Mehajer’s chapter trustee, stated the trustee would usually declare any money quantity above $3000 from a bankrupt particular person.
He informed the courtroom he had acquired numerous communications from Mehajer and his sister Zenah Osman concerning the thick stack of $50 payments.
Ms Osman claimed the cash had been loaned to her for the aim of repaying her money owed after she was listed as a guarantor on her brother’s investments.
“The money was not given to Mr Mehajer and does not belong to Mr Mehajer,” Ms Osman wrote in a letter to Mr Nith that was learn aloud in courtroom.
Mr Nith requested for sworn statutory declarations concerning the supply of the funds, the aim of the funds, and proof that Ms Osman’s business was working from the Kirribilli residence as she claimed.
In a heated response learn out in courtroom, Mehajer responded by accusing the insolvency accountant of attempting to undermine him and his sister, and threatened to take authorized motion.
“You are only delaying the holdup with the money as yet another means of trying to destroy us,” he wrote.
The former Auburn deputy mayor claimed he had tens of tens of millions of {dollars} squirrelled away however the trustee wasn’t excited by retrieving it to raise him out of chapter.
“You are being very unreasonable,” he wrote to Mr Nith.
The trial will proceed on Wednesday earlier than a jury of seven males and 5 ladies, presided over by Judge James Bennett.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
