Disgraced ex-politician and DV offender Salim Mehajer to be released from jail on Friday

Convicted fraudster and DV offender Salim Mehajer, who shot to infamy after his outlandish wedding, is orchestrating an attention-seeking walk from jail when he is released on parole.

For most it would be a walk of shame. For Salim Mehajer it will be a peacock’s parade, a narcissist’s strut on a stage, full of bravado and big plans.

The disgraced, bankrupt, ex-property developer and former politician, guilty of vile domestic violence, fraud, and perverting the course of justice, is even planning his wardrobe, a flashy suit, for his release from jail this Friday.

In prison he has boasted of his grand plans to return to property development.

Sydney first met Mehajer, 39, then deputy mayor of Auburn, when his obscenely opulent 2015 wedding – thought to have cost $1 million, and which featured four stretch limos, a cavalcade of supercars, dozens of Harley Davidsons, a red carpet on the road and even a seaplane – illegally closed off an entire Lidcombe street.

Then came the spotlight love, the Botox-smooth smile, the Lidcombe mansion with an infamous $600,000 staircase, the bizarre media appearances – once vowing to become prime minister – and his long, public, fall.

Salim Mehajer first found fame for his lavish wedding to Aysha Learmonth in 2015. Picture: Toby Zerna

Ahead of his release from Windsor’s John Morony Correctional Centre, after serving almost five years in jail, and where he has been confined to a single cell, he’s been saying he will ensure the public is aware of his freedom, telling prison sources: “I’ve got my outfit ready, it’s the business, I’m back in business.”

Sources say Mehajer has spent the majority of his incarceration alone, and angering Corrective Services officers with “arrogant” and “needy” demands.

The former deputy mayor has served almost five years behind bars and is set to be released on Friday. Picture: NewsWire / Bianca De Marchi

He has been whiling away time pacing his cell and obsessively compiling legal documents and appeals in his bid for freedom, some of which he has prepared in handwriting after he was denied access to computers.

Since he was transferred to the 445-bed John Morony medium-security jail, Mehajer has been on a non-association order confined to a tiny cell alone, and barred from associating with other inmates to avert reprisals due to his high-profile reputation.

“He’s been doing laps in his cell, he’s always smirking and walks around the prison yard strutting,” a prison source said.

“He is on a non-association order and spends 17 hours in his cell.

“He’s needy, always demanding things, mostly trivial stuff.”

Before his time in John Morony, Mehajer worked sewing prison uniforms at Cooma Correctional Centre.

Mehajer leaves Cooma Jail in 2019, accompanied by his solicitor Zali Burrows (right).

“He did have a textiles job sewing job at Cooma but now spends most of his time at JM doing his own legal stuff to get out,” the source said.

“His cell is tiny, it’s dark, and there’s a shard of natural light coming in from a small window.

“He’s no trouble, he’s just really needy in general and appears arrogant because he’s always grinning.”

Some of his seven siblings have visited him in jail.

His Lebanese immigrant parents Amal, 64, and Mohamad Mehajer, 68, – who himself was sentenced to almost four years in jail over accusations of fraud in 2013 – are seen at weekend visiting times.

Mehajer’s father has been eagerly awaiting his son’s return, telling the family his third eldest of eight is “the brain” and the “head of the family”.

The Mehajers’ trusted real estate agent “Uncle” Joe Salah said: “He’s (Mohamad) been very worried about Salim in jail, what father wouldn’t be?

“He wants his boy home, he says Salim is clever, he’s the big brain, he sorts out all the family problems.”

Mehajer enjoys ostentatious displays of wealth. Picture: Instagram

On Friday Mehajer becomes eligible for release on strict conditions, including undergoing drug and alcohol testing, not associating with outlaw bikies, and not entering The Central Coast.

He must report to a community corrections officer and not leave NSW or Australia without permission from the State Parole Authority.

Mehajer is serving a seven year and nine month prison term for brutal domestic violence offences against a former partner – not his ex-wife Aysha – and crimes including fraud, and perverting justice.

He has been incarcerated since November 2020 for two counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of making a false statement under oath.

A year later he was found guilty of unrelated fraud and domestic violence matters and sentenced to a maximum of seven years and nine months in jail.

He was found guilty of assault, one count of intimidation and one count of suffocating an ex-partner. Court documents state he punched her in the head in his car, suffocated her against a wall until she fainted, and threw an item at her, resulting in her suffering a “dead arm”.

He was found to have created false statutory declarations and affidavits by forging the signatures of his solicitor, Zali Burrows, and sister.

The wedding was OTT but the marriage ended within a year. Picture: Facebook

Mehajer also pleaded guilty to faking a weird car crash as an excuse to swerve a court appearance.

His obscene displays of wealth were an advertisement for his success in property developing.

But in March 2018, the Federal Court declared him bankrupt after he was found to owe around $25m, including $8.6m to the Australian Taxation Office.

The trained civil engineer was banned for three years until November 2018 from managing corporations after his SM Property Development and SM Engineering and Constructions firms collapsed, owing $886,701 and $159,902 respectively to the tax office.

His fight to annul the bankruptcy declaration resulted in it being extended for eight years until May 2026.

His bankruptcy trustee Paul Weston warned undischarged bankrupt Mehajer could not “manage” a corporation.

Mr Weston was dissatisfied with Mehajer’s conduct during bankruptcy, saying “I would if I could” extend it.

He added Mehajer was allowed to work and earn income but must report the details to the trustee, as well as any change in his circumstances, “such as being released from prison and where they are living.”

One of the many supercars at Mehajer’s wedding. Picture: Toby Zerna

Steve Christou, former mayor of Cumberland City Council and Libertarian Party councillor, said: “That doesn’t put off Salim – he’s going back to property development, managing projects to ensure they run smoothly, it’s what he knows and loves.

“The industry has changed since he’s been inside but he’s kept his contacts, you never lose them.

“He’s done his time. We’re all waiting to see if he’s reformed.”

Among those dreading his release is ex-wife Aysha, who, after 11 months of marriage, took out an AVO barring him from coming within 50m of where she works or lives.

She left their Lidcombe mansion carrying bags of clothes.

She has since remarried an electrician, with whom she shares three children, and is living a low-key existence in southwest Sydney after moving from the mid north coast.

“She moved back to Sydney to be closer to family, she doesn’t want to know Salim and is dreading his release from jail,” a family friend said.

“He’s scared her, she has done everything to move on from him.”

The Lidcombe four-bedroom, five-bathroom, eight-garage house in Frances St was seized by creditors after Salim was declared bankrupt, and sold at auction for $3.85m.

His former neighbours don’t miss him.

“We hope he doesn’t come back, (he) never said hello … walked around in expensive suits, that’s him all over, he loves the camera,” said former next door neighbour Kieran O’Hara.