John Zeitoune jailed for aiding, abetting bribe of former Australian Taxation Office official Wenfeng Wei on Granville railway bridge

A former security company boss has been jailed after aiding the bribery of a tax official on a Sydney bridge, as part of a bid to make an audit of a subcontractor’s business “go away”.

A former security company boss has been jailed after helping a “bunch of rogues” bribe a tax official as part of a bid to make an audit of a subcontractor’s business “go away”.

John Zeitoune, the former director of Asset Security Solutions, was sentenced to two years and 10 months in jail in Parramatta District Court on Thursday, having earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of aiding and abetting the bribery of a Commonwealth public official.

Judge Stephen Hanley outlined how Zeitoune, 58, had been involved in the bribery of Australian Taxation Office official Wenfeng Wei, who was sneakily handed $100,000 in cash on a western Sydney railway bridge in 2016.

Wei received the cash as part of a plot to influence an audit of Global World Group (GWG) and its director, Raymond Shlemon.

GWG was a subcontractor of Zeitoune’s company, which Judge Hanley said provided security, cleaning and maintenance services to many high-profile clients that included the Australian Catholic University and several shopping centres.

Former Asset Group Solutions director John Zeitoune in 2017. Picture: YouTube

Judge Hanley said the audit on GWG had revealed “unexplained wealth” and “risk reviews of Shlemon and GWG’s tax for the 2012 to 2015 financial years”.

He said Shlemon had reported incomes below the poverty line and, while “a person would have had more money on the dole” than (Shlemon) purported to have, the GWG boss had a number of properties either in his name or under that of his company.

John Zeitoune, who has been sentenced to nearly three years in jail. Picture: YouTube

Judge Hanley said Shlemon had been questioned about where his company’s profits were and what had happened to large cash withdrawals.

Shlemon was also informed he had an estimated debt of at least $700,000 from undeclared income.

When Zeitoune learned about the audit, Judge Hanley said the 58-year-old became concerned about the effect it might have on his own company.

He therefore involved himself, wanting to stay updated on “what was going on”.

Former Asset Security Solutions director John Zeitoune (pictured in 2017). Picture: YouTube

The court heard his interest ultimately evolved into Zeitoune, Shlemon and another subcontractor conspiring to pay off the tax official to make the audit “go away”.

On August 19, 2016, Wei, Shlemon, Zeitoune, the other subcontractor and another man did the shady deal on a walking bridge at the Granville train station.

Zeitoune acted as one of three lookouts, subtly filming Shlemon handing Wei the $100,000 cash bribe as he walked past them.

Police did not learn of the bribe until two years later, when officers investigating money laundering and tax evasion at The Star casino spoke to a man who tipped them off.

Zeitoune’s business was later searched in June 2022, a week before he participated in a police interview.

Zeitoune said he was there when the exchange happened but did not see the money change hands.

He also said he had warned Shlemon about the deal, saying it was “crazy”, “he could go to jail for this” and that it could be a set-up.

Police eventually arrested Zeitoune in August that year.

On Thursday, Judge Hanley said the bribe was a “very serious crime” and described the exchange on the railway bridge as “incredibly brazen”.

He did not accept claims Zeitoune received “no personal benefit”, finding the former security boss had “acted out of greed”.

Judge Hanley said Zeitoune had shown a lack of remorse by entering a late guilty plea and “must have fully understood the illegality” of his actions, especially given how closely he worked with police as part of his security business.

“He had the connections to bring (the bribery) to the attention of the police or remove himself from participating, or counsel all others against participation,” Judge Hanley said.

“The impression I’m left with is that he and his co-offenders were a bunch of rogues.”

Judge Hanley said Zeitoune had lost his security licence after being charged and, in 2022, stepped down as director of Asset Security Solutions.

However, he was still the director of other companies.

Zeitoune will be released from custody after serving half his sentence, with a $1000 bond to take effect from the time he is freed in May 2026.

Wei was previously sentenced to five years in jail for offences that included accepting a bribe as a Commonwealth public official, abuse of public office and disclosure of restricted data.

Schlemon, meanwhile, pleaded guilty to bribing a Commonwealth public official and giving corrupting benefits to a Commonwealth public official. He was jailed in August for three years and 14 days.