Ashlyn Nassif’s fraud case delayed again as fresh evidence is presented to court
Ashlyn Nassif’s legal bills are no doubt mounting as her fraud case is plagued with delays, but lawyers are hoping to recover costs of at least one court appearance after fresh evidence caught them off guard.
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Ashlyn Nassif’s legal bills are no doubt mounting as her fraud case continues to be plagued by delays, but lawyers for the one-time property empire heiress are hoping to claw back the cost of at least one court appearance this week.
Nassif, the daughter of fugitive property developer Jean Nassif, was first arrested and charged in February 2023 over an alleged $150m bank scam involving her father’s now-defunct development company, Toplace.
Police allege the 29-year-old lawyer submitted fake contracts to Westpac bank over three months in late 2021 to obtain a $150m loan in order to fund about 900 apartments.
More than 12 months on, the case is yet to move beyond the preliminary charge certification stage, with the current delay attributed to arguments over subpoenas involving police and Westpac Bank.
With a hearing on the subpoenas scheduled to take place in court on Wednesday, Nassif’s lawyers were left gobsmacked when they received fresh evidence relating to the argument on the morning of court.
Without time to digest the new information and prepare any defence, Nassif’s barrister, Phillip English, sought an adjournment, only to have it opposed by a lawyer representing the police.
A clearly frustrated Mr English flagged the possibility of applying for costs against the police for the wasted time, which he attributed to the late serving of the evidence.
The subpoena issue — and any costs application — will now be heard on June 3.
Nassif, who is yet to enter a plea, remains on bail, but when her case will finally move forward is anyone’s guess.
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