Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas ICAC investigation alleges councillor accepted trips to China, Lebanon
WeChat messages between Chinese developers have revealed plans to invite a Sydney mayor to a director’s wedding, with suggestions of taking the ‘single’ councillor ‘somewhere fun’ while in China.
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A NSW corruption inquiry has revealed a series of encrypted WeChat messages between a group of chinese property developers plotting to bring a Sydney mayor to the wedding of a iProsperity director in China.
ICAC’s four-week hearing is probing allegations that long serving City of Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas “partially exercised his official functions” to favour the interests of Billbergia Pty Ltd, Prolet Pty Ltd and contractor Joseph Chidiac, in relation to planning matters, and “deliberately failed to declare or properly manage any conflict of interest arising from his relationships”.
The WeChat conversations — presented to former iProsperity Group director, Xialou (Belinda) Li on day two of the ICAC hearings — suggested iProsperity representatives organised the wedding invitation, VISA, flights and accommodation for Mr Tsirekas to attend the wedding of iProsperity director, Harry Huang in the Chinese city of Nanjing in January 2016, as the mayor had “never attended a Chinese wedding”.
Ms Li confirmed to ICAC that representatives at iProsperity organised the VISA, flights and accommodation for the Sydney mayor.
At the time, iProsperity was developing a multimillion-dollar planning proposal for a high-rise development in 1-9 Marquet Street and 4 Mary Street, Rhodes — which would then be submitted to Canada Bay Council, and approved with the support of councillor Tsirekas.
In a December 12, 2015 WeChat conversation, Belinda Li asked an associate if he had taken Cr Tsirekas “somewhere fun” during a trip to Shanghai.
“He said he didn’t have to report his trip to China to anyone,” Ms Li said of the mayor in the group chat with iProsperity directors.
“He’s single — he sounded like he really relished the fun last time.
“Where have you taken him to last time? He is serious about going.”
ICAC has learnt the mayor attended the wedding from January 1 to 5, 2016, with a series of photos of Cr Tsirekas in China, submitted as part of assisting counsel Jamie Darams’ inquiries.
ICAC also heard evidence that Ms Li, on the request of iProsperity director Michael Gu, co-ordinated a February, 2016 meeting between iProsperity contractor Joseph Chidiac, Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas, herself and an investor for the 1-9 Marquet Street and 4 Mary Street, Rhodes planning proposal in a private room at Golden Century in Chinatown.
Ms Li confirmed her associate wanted investors to see “the mayor was onside”.
“I think that was Michael (Gu’s) understanding,” she said.
‘MAYOR ACCEPTED OVERSEAS TRIPS FOR DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL’: ICAC
Jake McCallum and Alexi Demetriadi
City of Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas was allegedly “provided benefits” including a series of overseas trips as a reward for issuing support for major development applications proposed by long-time friends in the construction industry, a NSW ICAC hearing was told.
The first day of a four-week hearing in to the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Operation Tolosa saw chief commissioner Peter Hall hear claims Cr Tsirekas accepted several developer-funded trips to Shanghai and Lebanon, following a series of approvals for major high-rise planning proposals for 1-9 Marquet Street and 4 Mary Street, Rhodes by the now-liquidated iProsperity Group.
ICAC is set to investigate whether Cr Tsirekas partially exercised his official functions to favour the interests of Billbergia Pty Ltd, Prolet Pty Ltd and contractor Joseph Chidiac, in relation to planning matters, and “deliberately failed to declare or properly manage any conflict of interest arising from his relationships”.
Assisting counsel Jamie Darams said he expected evidence would reveal iProsperity Group paid for the City of Canada Bay mayor’s accommodation in Shanghai in January 2016.
Mr Darams said he also expected evidence throughout the hearing would reveal Cr Tsirekas’s long-time friend, iProsperity Group and Billbergia Pty Ltd contractor, Joseph Chidiac, funding the councillor’s flight to China.
“I expect that there will be evidence before the public inquiry that iProsperity Group paid for some of the entertainment and travel expenses incurred by Mr Chidiac and Mr Tsirekas on this trip,” he said.
In addition to Mr Tsirekas’ travel to Shanghai with Mr Chidiac, Mr Tsirekas travelled overseas with Mr Chidiac to Lebanon in October, 2016, and the United States in October, 2016, October, 2017 and October, 2018.
“I expect this public inquiry will receive evidence that Mr Chidiac funded Mr Tsirekas’ expenses for the Lebanon trip in October 2016.
“The evidence is expected to show that Mr Tsirekas has been overseas on 24 occasions and that on many of these occasions, this was in the company of Mr. Chidiac.”
ICAC alleges Cr Tsirekas sought, and or accepted benefits, as a reward for partially and dishonestly exercising his official functions to “favour the interests” of iProsperity Group and Mr Chidiac, for planning proposals at 1-9 Marquet Street and 4 Mary Street, Rhodes.
Cr Tsirekas is also alleged to have deliberately failed to declare or properly manage any conflict of interest arising from his relationships with representatives of iProsperity Group and Mr Chidiac.
Questions to the first witness, former iProsperity Group director, Xialou (Belinda) Li centred around Mr Tsirekas’ trip to Shanghai and Nanjing in January 2016, which ICAC allege was partly funded by iProsperity Group.
Photos tendered allegedly showed the mayor at locations in both Chinese cities alongside the witness, Mr Chidiac and a number of the group’s employees.
The pictures, which were sent from Ms Li’s phone on a WeChat group including Mr Chidiac and Mr Tsirekas, showed both men posing in group pictures at The Langham hotel in Shanghai, the Linx nightclub in the same city, as well as other spots.
The photos came – and were sent – from devices of Ms Li that were seized by police. The WeChat group they were sent to included Mr Chidiac and Mr Tsirekas, as well as a small number of then iProsperity Group employees who also went on the January 2016 trip to China.
The witness, who worked for iProsperity Group at the time, said she didn’t organise the trip or remember who arranged it, but did appear in a number of pictures with the mayor.
A few pictures including Mr Chidiac and Mr Tsirekas in China include some taken at the wedding in Nanjing in January 2016 of Harry Huang, then an executive of iProsperity Group.
Although Ms Li said she couldn’t remember if they were taken from the wedding, or who invited Mr Tsirekas, they were sent on the WeChat group on January 4th, the same month as Mr Huang’s wedding.
Counsel assisting alleged in the hearing that the photos indicated Mr Chidiac and Mr Tsirekas were present at the wedding and were “shown around like tourists” by iProsperity Group in Shanghai before the ceremony in Nanjing.
The witness said she couldn’t remember if Mr Chidiac and Mr Tsirekas were there, nor could remember who invited the mayor and why — but did say that she was aware of his role in the City of Canada Bay Council.
Two other directors of the now-liquidated company, iProsperity including Chinese-Nationals Michael Gu and Harry Huang.
Assisting Counsel, Jamie Darams, told ICAC Mr Gu and Mr Huang “fled Australia in 2020 and have not returned amid claims that companies associated with them and iProsperity misappropriated investor’s money”.
“Neither Mr Gu nor Mr Huang will give evidence (to this inquiry),” he said.
NewsLocal understands there is no legal mechanism requiring him to step aside during proceedings, however Cr Tsirekas told the council this month he would be taking a leave of absence until May 24 as ICAC begins a four-week public inquiry.
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