Nazir Lababidi charged over Facebook Marketplace car-fraud ring

A Queensland father-of-four has been exposed as the alleged “face” of a $2m fraud syndicate selling ‘unroadworthy’ cars on Facebook Marketplace.

As part of his bail conditions, Nazir Lababid must also not go within 100m of the alleged syndicate mansion in Daisy Hill.

A Queensland father of four accused of being the “face” of a sophisticated $2m car-fraud ring, selling clapped-out or written-off “unroadworthy” 4WDs on Facebook Marketplace and using the profits to buy a $2.15m mansion with his alleged co-offenders, has been freed on bail.

Nazir Lababidi, 39, appeared before Justice Martin Burns the Supreme Court in Brisbane on August 4 where he was granted bail on 26 charges including six counts of fraud, after serving 84 days in custody on remand.

Prosecutor Sam Knight alleged in his written submissions that the charges relate to crimes he allegedly committed while he was on bail for 48 other car fraud-related charges, and subject to bail conditions banning him from selling cars.

Nazir Lababid is charged with being the “face” of a sophiscated dodgy car syndicate.

The recent charges allege Lababidi bought or attempted to buy 71 cars between January and May this year and selling or attempting to sell 61 cars.

The alleged syndicate is believed to have bought cars second-hand, wound back the odometers before onselling them in an unroadworthy state, sold either with falsely obtained roadworthy certificates or not roadworthy certificate at all, Mr Knight claimed.

“There exists a large quantity of intercepted communications relating to the modifying, repairing, storage and transportation of vehicles throughout the country,” Mr Knight states.

“There are also communications where (Lababidi) is fraudulently conducting business with Queensland Transport and the ATO,” Mr Knight alleges.

Labibidi told the court he will contest the allegations.

One charge relates to Lababidi allegedly selling a 2006 Toyota HiLux in April with an allegedly fake odometer reading of 208,000km for $19,500 when it had actually been bought by the syndicate for $5500, having been written off with over 340,000 km on the odometer.

Police allege profits from the Facebook Marketplace scam paid for a $2.15m mansion in Daisy Hill.

He is also alleged to have sold a HiLux for $37,999 that he bought for $20,000, and sold another for $23,500 he bought for $6000, as well as many others.

Court documents allege that a police accountant has found “more than $2m has gone through the syndicate’s linked bank accounts” while the police were covertly monitoring the ring in 2022.

“Prior to my arrest I did not live a lavish lifestyle,” Lababidi told the court.

Mr Knight alleges in his submissions that police alleged Lababidi “often acted as the ‘face’ of the syndicate, as he would meet with the majority of the purchasers”.

“While the offenders reported to live in lower socio-economic areas, it is alleged that they all reside together in a mansion in Daisy Hill purchased by the syndicate in August 2022 for $2.15m,” Mr Knight states.

The home was described by agents as an “architectural icon on 2,150 sqm designed to capture the lush scenery and views of the Gold Coast and beyond”.

But barrister Scott Lynch, for Lababidi, submitted that his client has never lived at the Daisy Hill home, but rather rents for $360 a week in Logan Central, and that a title search shows Lababidi has no interest in the Daisy Hill home.

Mr Lynch submitted that it was difficult to determine what exactly his clients involvement is alleged to be, or what proceeds he is alleged to have pocketed.

“While the offending is serious, all that can be said is he is the ‘face man’, the ‘face man’ is generally the person who is most exposed and most vulnerable,” Mr Lynch wrote in submissions filed in court.

Lababidi shares his Logan Central home with wife Jessica Crossfield and their four kids.

Lababidi is alleged to have used his wife to meet a potential car buyer, instructing her through the “fraudulent” sale via phone, as he feared some buyers were undercover cops.

The home was described by agents as an “architectural icon.

Lababidi is alleged to have been recorded on phone taps boasting: “We are the biggest supplier (SIC) of Toyotas in Brisbane” and that he “buys and sells Toyotas for a living”.

Mr Knight alleges in his submissions that the cash from the sale of cars – mostly Toyota HiLux ute’s or similar with odometers wound back – on Facebook Marketplace, were used to “supplement the incomes of the syndicate members, who were not legitimately employed”.

He is alleged to have met buyers at petrol stations or in carparks and demanded payment in cash.

Brisbane-born Lababidi, who went to Mansfield State High School, and his co-accused were alleged to be involved in buying clapped out old cars or total write-offs, modifying them with accessories or new wheels, winding back their odometers and onselling them to unsuspecting buyers for big profits.

Lababidi and his co-accused were not licenced car dealers.

Lababidi is accused of using several fake profiles on Facebook Marketplace to buy and sell cars.

Police allege members of the syndicate lived in the lavish house.

Mr Knight alleges in his submissions filed in court that the offenders would typically purchase cars more than 200km from where they later offered them for sale, so that local buyers would not recognise their vehicle back on the market for an inflated price.

One of the co-offenders, Nouri Hijazi, is alleged to have issued roadworthy certificates for cars “that were not in a roadworthy condition with altered odometer readings”, Mr Knight states in his submissions.

Mr Knight submitted that police believe that there “will be many further offences uncovered and further charges incoming”, because Lababidi has made an “admission that he has been ‘working with cars’ since 2012”.

“The offending is very serious, it involves a sophisticated and collaborative operation defrauding members of the public of substantial amounts of money,” Mr Knight told the court in his written submissions.

Major Organised Crime Squad officer Paul McDonnell wrote in his objection to bail affidavit filed in court that Lababidi had allegedly “ripped off” innocent member of the public to the tune of “thousands of dollars” and had potentially jeopardised their safety.

As part of strict bail conditions Lababidi or his lawyer must appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday, August 21.

Lababidi states in his affidavit that he is one of three siblings born of parents who emigrated from Lebanon, and his mum still lives in Mount Gravatt East, dad died in 2017.

He has previously worked as an apprentice panel beater and later owned his own panel beating business, then also worked in a fruit shop.

As part of his bail conditions, Lababidi must abide by a 9pm to 5am curfew at his Logan Central home and report to Logan police between 8am and 8pm three days a week.

Lababidi told the court that he plans to work for steel fixing company P2P Constructions Pty Ltd, because he was offered a job by director Paul Powhiro.

Under his bail conditions he is banned from contacting his alleged co-accused Nabil Hijazi, Wassim Hijazi, Mark Sexton, Nazir Hijazi, Nouri Hajazi (correct), Jihad Hijazi or Giovanni Vladik.

He must also not go within 100m of the alleged syndicate mansion on Springwood Rd Daisy Hill, as well as two addresses at Slacks Creek and one at Rochedale.

He is banned from any social media and from selling, buying or trading of cars or boats, or selling any items on any online trading platforms including but not limited to Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree.

He is also banned from having more than one phone or iPad.