Jean Nassif: Police granted arrest warrant for Sydney developer

Police are on the hunt for an embattled property developer wanted on fraud charges who is believed to be living overseas.

Embattled Sydney developer Jean Nassif is believed to be living overseas as police ramp up efforts to track down the mogul amid fraud allegations.

Detectives from the NSW Police organised crime squad were granted an arrest warrant for Mr Nassif on Friday in relation to fraud-related charges.

Police believe the 55-year-old, who is the founder of major construction company Toplace, has not been in the country for months.

Strike Force Calool was established in April 2021 to investigate alleged financial crimes.

Ashlyn and Jean Nassif.

The move comes as Mr Nassif’s daughter – Ashlyn Nassif – continues to front court on allegations she used fake contracts to secure a $150m loan.

The 27-year-old is accused of falsifying $10.5m in pre-sale contracts for the development of the $900m Sky View apartment complex in northwest Sydney.

The partner of law firm EA Legal is yet to enter pleas after she was charged with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and publishing false or misleading material.

She was granted bail in March with $2.6m secured by her family.

Earlier this year, Mr Nassif was called to front a NSW parliamentary inquiry into allegations of improperiety at Hills Shire Council, but declined to attend as he said he would be in a remote part of Lebanon conducting business and recuperating from a medical procedure, and had intended to be overseas until March 2023.

Detective Superintendent Peter Faux said on Friday police were yet to engage overseas governments or law enforcement agencies in their search, but would do so after there was more clarity on where he could be.

“If he is offshore and overseas then we’ll commence the appropriate conversations with those people in relation to that,” he said.

“We’ve only just applied for the arrest warrant. We’re now looking at those options in relation to if he is offshore.”

He said there was no evidence to suggest the developer was still in Lebanon.

Originally published as Jean Nassif: Police granted arrest warrant for Sydney developer