Salim Mehajer ‘soulmate’ in court over alleged staged car crash
RAFI Noori, who Salim Mehajer called his “soulmate”, is the seventh person to front court over the former Auburn deputy mayor’s alleged staged car crash in Sydney’s south west last year.
NSW
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A SEVENTH person has fronted court over Salim Mehajer’s alleged staged car crash in Sydney’s south west last year.
Strike force investigators arrested 27-year-old Rafi Noori earlier this month and charged him with “conspiracy to cheat and defraud”. He was granted strict conditional bail.
Noori is the seventh person to be charged over the October 16 crash in Lidcombe where disgraced businessman Mehajer was taken to hospital the day he was due to attend a court hearing to defend himself against charges he assaulted and robbed a taxi driver at The Star Casino.
Police will allege the former Auburn deputy mayor colluded with his wedding planner business associate Ahmed Jaghbir in order to stage the crash.
Noori’s matter was briefly heard at Burwood court today. He was granted strict bail and the matter was adjourned until March 28.
Court documents state Noori did “Conspire with other to cheat and defraud ... Did conspire with Salim Mehajer to cheat and defraud insurance Australia group (IAG).”
In an Instagram post from September 2017, Mehajer referred to Noori as his “soulmate”.
“Some last minute shopping with soulmate,” the caption of the picture said.
Mehajer is fighting charges of perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to cheat and defraud in relation to the car crash.
The court has previously heard police were intercepting Jaghbir’s phone in relation to an entirely different matter when they heard him allegedly telling another person that Mehajer had asked him to arrange the crash to “buy him” more time in relation to his court case.
Police allege that in the days after the crash the Moufferrige brothers (Elias and Michael) rang Jaghbir claiming they needed to be paid $10,000 for helping arrange the collision between Mehajer and other driver Fakahe Malinda Moufferrige.
The court also heard that nine days before the crash an NRMA insurance policy had been taken out for the Mercedes on behalf of one of Mehajer’s businesses.
Police claim the Mercedes was over insured at $156,780 when its true value was between $95,000 and $120,000.
Following a lengthy police investigation Mehajer was arrested in January along with his friend and business associate Jaghbir, Ms Moufferrige, her husband Elias and another couple Michael Moufferrige and Nora-Anne Bush who have all been charged over the alleged conspiracy.