Aussie businessman Michael Ibrahim once behind failed beach resort project

Sydney businessman Michael Ibrahim was behind a failed billion-dollar beach resort before switching gears to promote a new star-studded movie studio dubbed Arabiawood, it’s been revealed.

Michael Ibrahim with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

An Australian businessman promoting a new star-studded movie studio dubbed Arabiawood was behind a failed billion-dollar beach resort project pitched for the same plot of land in Oman, it has been revealed.

Michael Ibrahim, who also unsuccessfully tried to buy an NRL team on behalf of Qatari billionaire Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, appears to be having troubles again despite his big talk of the joint venture with several Middle Eastern royal families in The Gulf country of Oman.

Arabiawood was earmarked for the economic zone in Duqm, Oman. Picture: Supplied

It can be revealed that a number of the 50-year-old’s companies have been frozen or deregistered for not paying their registration fees in two countries.

Spruiking himself on LinkedIn as the CEO of a multinational organisation with offices in Australia, Lebanon, Oman and Qatar, Mr Ibrahim has been in the news in recent months promoting his Arabia-wood project and snapped lunching with would-be influencer Suzan Mutesi.

Suzan Mutesi lunching with Michael Ibrahim Qatar Source: Instagram

“I have many A-list Hollywood film actors inquiring about the studio,” Mr Ibrahim said.

His Instagram account boasts pictures of him with politicians and stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jean Claude van Damme.

There are also pictures of him posing with a Rolls Royce and a first class ticket on Qatar airways and the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani and posing with TV presenter Eddie McGuire thanking McGuire for inviting him to the AFL footy show.

Michael Ibrahim poses with Jean-Claude van Damme. Picture: Instagram.

But when contacted, McGuire said it was a photo taken backstage at the grand final show of which he did hundreds. But he said he doesn’t know Mr Ibrahim and he didn’t invite him on the show.

Variously described as a tycoon and entrepreneur, Mr Ibrahim said he grew up in humble surroundings in the southern Sydney suburb of Arncliffe.

He said he and his family started in business with a family-run pizza shop in Bondi named Isabella La Bella Pizza, before studying at the University of Technology Sydney, marrying now ex-wife Jade and having five children.

A photo taken of Michael Ibrahim with Eddie Maguire – one of hundreds McGuire posed for backstage during the grand final show. Source – Instagram

Mr Ibrahim said he got his entry into the world of Middle Eastern royalty while still in the pizza shop, after a friend asked him to look after the wife of a visiting Sheikh from the United Arab Emirates.

He was then invited to meet the family in their home country.

“I rode my luck and I had a lot of opportunities …” Mr Ibrahim said in an interview last week to promote the Arabia-wood venture.

Michael Ibrahim. Picture: Instagram

Mr Ibrahim said he had five Middle Eastern royal families, including from Qatar, Oman, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, financially backing the movie studio project, which was to be built by Dubai-based company Emaar.

However, those claims could not be independently verified.

Mr Ibrahim said Arabiawood would be overseen by the vice president of the Al Jazeera International Group a construction group in Oman, Sheike Mohammed Nasser Al Hashar.

Mr Ibrahim has promoted the film studio as a $3 billion five-stage project which will be designed by the famous architect Mohamed Hadid – father of supermodel Bella. But Mr Ibrahim did not provide any details, drawings, plans or contacts. Mr Hadid has been contacted for comment.

Michael Ibrahim, with Sheikh Nasser Al Hashar CEO and co-founder of Al Jazeera International Group Oman. Picture: Instagram

Michael Ibrahim who is promoting a new project in the Middle East called Arabiawood. Picture: Markson Sparks

Mr Ibrahim said last year stage one at Duqm south of the Omani capital of Muscat would be completed in the first quarter of this year. But he has admitted the project has stalled due to construction supply issues.

A search of company documents show the Australian ventures associated with Mr Ibrahim, MJ Masha Pty Ltd and Aqeeq Holdings Pty Ltd, have been deregistered after being struck off by the corporate regulator ASIC for not paying annual registration fees.

Mr Ibrahim’s company MJ Masha LLC in Qatar, in which he and a “Mr” Jade Ibrahim were listed as directors, has also been fined US$23,000 ($A35,256) plus interest after the Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA) took action against the company for failing to pay its registration fees for three years. The company’s registration has been frozen by the QFCA.

When asked to comment on the situation with his companies, Mr Ibrahim said “unfortunately I cannot discuss more in detail because of my personal situation.”

Oasis, houses with windtower that ensure cool temperatures in the houses

A check of the records with UTS revealed no-one by Mr Ibrahim’s name had graduated from a Master course in International Business as his LinkedIn profile claims. When checked, Mr Ibrahim admitted he never completed his studies.

Mr Ibrahim’s Sydney office has had its phone number disconnected and the address provided on his business card has no information about him ever being at the premises.

The website MJ Masha.com listed on his business card doesn’t exist.

When his previous project, the Duqm Beach Resort floundered, Mr Ibrahim admitted last week he lost “a lot of money” on the project.

Mr Ibrahim said the Arabia-wood project has nothing to do with his former company MJ Masha.