Ahmad Homsi allegedly name dropped Hamze family boss in $150k extortion bid

A man accused of trying to extort $150k from an associate’s cousin allegedly name dropped one NSW’s most well known criminals in bid to beef up his threat, a court has heard.

Ahmad Homsi was granted conditional bail by the NSW Supreme Court over allegations he tried to extort $150k from a Sydney father by claiming he was working for the notorious Hamze family. Picture: NCA NewsWire

A man allegedly tried to extort $150,000 from an associate’s cousin by claiming he was acting on behalf of one of the state’s most notorious criminals, a court has heard.

“I’m from the Hamze family, you have to pay Bassam $150,000 by (sic) three days,” Ahmad Homsi allegedly told Sydney father Houssam Zreika in a phone call in August last year, marking what police allege was the beginning of a six-week campaign of threats and harassment.

Police allege 37-year-old Homsi deliberately name-dropped the feared crime family and its most well-recognised member — who once ran the Brothers 4 Life gang from behind bars — in a bid to intimidate and menace Mr Zreika into handing over the cash.

However, no evidence was presented to the NSW Supreme Court during Homsi’s bail application showing he had any links to the Hamzes at all.

Ahmad Homsi.

Incarcerated Hamzy crime clan leader Bassam Hamzy.

The Daily Telegraph does not suggest any Hamze family members were aware of, or involved in the alleged crime and none have been charged.

Homsi was granted strict conditional bail by Justice Mehmet Dhanji in May, but details of the case against him are only now able to be published due to legal reasons.

Documents tendered to the court reveal police will allege Homsi and two co-accused communicated with Mr Zreika using the encrypted messaging platform WhatsApp, initially telling him he owed Bassam Hamze $150,000.

“I don’t owe anyone money, that’s bullshit,” Mr Zreika responded.

It is alleged Homsi told Mr Zreika “the Hamze family needs money from you and they asked me to collect money from you”.

The court heard Homsi allegedly contacted Mr Zreika a few days later and said “don’t f — k with us or the boys will be paying you a visit tomorrow night”, in a bid to have him deliver the cash.

Police allege Homsi and his co-accused continued to threaten and harass Mr Zreika in the following weeks, at one stage knocking on the front door of the family home and another time allegedly sending an image of the front of his house with a gun in the picture.

The court heard Mr Zreika moved his family out of the home twice due to safety concerns.

The court heard he subsequently reported the threats to police and detectives began intercepting phones belonging to each of the accused.

It is alleged Homsi and the second man had grown disgruntled with the third man - the alleged mastermind of the extortion plan - and discussed “turning on him”.

“I’m not a dog but I’m not going to go and let [co-accused] do time, if he doesn’t want to help us out,” Homsi was allegedly overheard saying in one call.

The court heard the two co-accused were arrested late last year, however Homsi was not arrested until February.

He was charged with demanding property in company with menaces with intent to steal and remanded in custody.

In granting bail, Justice Dhanji said the alleged facts of the case showed “a somewhat ham-fisted attempt” to extort money from Mr Zreika.

“I don’t seek to minimise in any way the extent to which the complainant may have been in fear, but the ham-fistedness perhaps more goes to the bail concerns, which is that it seems unlikely that he’s going to try anything like this again,” Justice Dhanji said.

He acknowledged Homsi had a very limited criminal record and significant ties to the community.

As part of his bail, Homsi is required to report to police daily, abide by a night-time curfew and have no contact with either co-accused.

The case will return to court later this year.
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