George Alex, Moses Obeid, Rodney Adler among Ibrahim connections

They are the men considered part of the Ibrahim family’s network — a colourful mix of businessmen and money lenders including Moses Obeid, George Alex and Rodney Adler. LISTEN TO GEORGE ALEX CRY OVER A GIFT FROM MICHAEL IBRAHIM

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For three decades, Sydney has regarded the House of Ibrahim with fear and fascination.

Now, for the first time, we take you inside the private world of this complicated family thanks to an enormous cache of surveillance material tendered to a NSW court.

There are more than 880 phone calls and texts that were covertly recorded by police over more than a year, revealing the truth about feuds, grudges and family lore, including the secret tunnel under patriarch John Ibrahim’s Eastern Suburbs mansion.

There are hundreds of police photos taken inside Ibrahim homes during police raids, and an even larger collection of surveillance photos taken by police tailing family members and associates through the city’s streets.

The material sheds new light on the family’s networks, reaching beyond brothers John, Fadi, Michael and Sam to the far reaches of entertainment, night-life, property and crime.

On their private calls, the brothers and their associates detail their rivalries and power struggles, as well as moments of “us against the world” camaraderie and black humour.

The inner sanctum of the Ibrahim clan contains a collection of colourful characters, their network outside the family is just as interesting.

At the top of the list were Moses Obeid, the son of jailed former NSW politician Eddie Obeid, one time jailed businessman Rodney Adler and construction identity George Alex.

As police listened in on the calls of the Ibrahims and their cohorts tendered in court proceedings, they became aware of the large network of well-known characters they were either socialising or doing business with.

In 2017, Michael Ibrahim was planning to go into business with Mr Alex.

To sweeten the relationship, one call captured Mr Alex being moved to tears over a gift that Michael gave to him.

“Bro, you know, you know no one makes me cry all right?” Mr Alex said in the call. “I’m telling you now I got tears, all right?”

He was cryptic about the nature of the gift.

“I’m not going to say too much on the phone … I love you with all my heart, all right? I love you so much, you’ve got no idea,” Mr Alex said.

HEAR GEORGE ALEX CRY TO MICHAEL IBRAHIM

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: WARNING GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

Michael knew the value of his gesture but used his own personal style in a laconic response.

“Shut up, dickhead,” Michael said.

In other calls, Ryan Watsford talked up his connections to Moses Obeid and never missed an opportunity to tell his mates they were going to catch up for coffee at the Dover Cafe in Rose Bay.

Construction identity George Alex was a close friend of Michael Ibrahim.

Ryan Watsford talked up his connection to Moses Obeid in police phone calls tendered to court. Picture: Britta Campion

Watsford had a mixed relationship with Mr Adler.

Mr Adler, whose family founded HIH Insurance, lent Watsford money and then became increasingly furious when Watsford continuously missed deadlines for the repayment.

In a call recorded by police on May 25, 2017, Mr Adler let Watsford know his patience had run out. “I … thought, first and foremost that we were friends and that I knew in the fullness of time, that you would eventually pay me back,” Mr Adler said.

“And I’ve got to tell you deep down in my heart I still believe that.

“But I’ll tell you what upset me, the two things that have really upset me in the last day and a half was the fact that you, you told me I could use (your) car as security …”

Former HIH Insurance founder Rodney Adler had lent Watsford money, becoming angry when Watsford missed repayments. Picture: Richard Dobson

Michael Ibrahim had a close friendship with George Alex.

Mr Adler was left holding a hospital pass when his bosses demanded to know what became of the money.

“And I told my director that and now he thinks I’m an idiot, point one,” Mr Adler said.

“And the other thing is that … I don’t know why you took $45,000 of my good money and paid back your scumbag friends.

“If you needed money for yourself or for living or for your life, I would give it to you,” he said.