Jean Nassif unleashes scathing attack on wife Nissy, NSW authorities

Fugitive developer Jean Nassif has launched an extraordinary attack on Ray Hadley and ex-wife Nissy while labelling former NSW Police Minister David Elliott and current Building Commissioner David Chandler ‘corrupt, racist, dogs’.

On-the-run developer Jean Nassif has launched a scathing attack from Lebanon at his wife and the authorities seeking his arrest over alleged financial fraud while declaring himself “the son of god.”

After The Daily Telegraph tracked Nassif down to his tiny Lebanese village, the embattled property magnate defended himself, claiming he was unfairly targeted by agencies plotting to topple his Sydney construction empire.

Once hailed as a migrant success story, Jean Nassif is reportedly worth well over $100 million, controls more than 50 companies, and has bought and sold over 30 properties after enjoying a meteoric rise in the building industry.

Despite his massive wealth, Nassif is banned from working in NSW over repeated defects in his developments and faces arrest by the Organised Crime Squad if he returns to Australia.

The arrest warrant alleges he obtained a $150 million loan with Westpac with false documents, for an apartment complex in Castle Hill.

NSW’s Organised Crime Squad issued an arrest warrant for Jean Nassif in June.

Jean’s daughter Ashlyn Nassif is currently before the courts on fraud charges.

His daughter Ashlyn Nassif, living in Sydney, has been accused of securing the massive loan with an allegedly falsified property pre-sale contract in 2021 for the development of the $900m Sky View apartment complex. She is yet to enter a plea.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph in Lebanon, Nassif went to his daughter’s defence.

“They’re liars, she didn’t fake the papers. If the papers are fake let them go to court.”

Jean Nassif with daughter Ashlyn at her engagement party in 2022.

The pressures of business failures have led to the collapse of his marriage to Lebanese-born wife Nisserine “Nissy” Nassif, who has since been seen in public with a ‘mystery man.’

“My wife can’t take it anymore, we are divorcing in court,” he said.

“Who wants to be with a man fraudulently (sic) the government is accusing of a criminal act?

“I love women, I love them to death, why did she do that to me?

“I felt sorry for her when she first arrived from Lebanon and was cleaning dishes in a restaurant. I took care of her, her family, everyone. That’s what I deserve, for being a good man?”

“My dad is in his 90s, he’s a hero, he feeds my mum and washes her, I wanted that for me and Nissy.”

Jean Nassif claims wife Nissy is divorcing him.

Nissy Nassif has been approached for comment.

The developer also labelled former NSW Police Minister David Elliott and current Building Commissioner David Chandler “corrupt, racist, dogs” who masterminded his downfall over defects at his sites, while also attacking 2GB radio host Ray Hadley, a longtime critic of Nassif.

“They want to throw mud on me because they’re dogs and racist. David Elliott is a racist human being, David Chandler is a dog and racist and Ray Hadley is someone who barks day and night. I will not die until I put these three idiot racist human beings behind bars.”

David Elliott, who said his best man at his wedding was Lebanese, said: “I don’t remember ever having a conversation with him (Nassif).”

“I ask him to return home very quickly and repeat his claims that I’m a racist because I find that highly defamatory,” he said.

Former MP David Elliott said he doesn’t recall his conversation with Jean Nassif.

Broadcaster Ray Hadley fired back at Nassif’s claims saying he “has ruined the lives” of thousands of potential homeowners.

NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler said “I’ve never been involved in playing the player, I’ve only been involved in playing the ball, and the ball is ensuring we get defect-free housing in NSW.”

2GB’s Ray Hadley fired back: “It’ll be a bit hard to put me behind bars given he is hiding in Lebanon. If he had any ticker he’d come stand in the dock beside his daughter and confront the charges that have been levelled against him.”

“Mr Nassif has ruined the lives of thousands of Australian potential homeowners and has a heart the size of a caraway seed.”

Toplace was placed into administration earlier this year.

The Toplace Group, has now been placed into administration and 20,000 homeowners across NSW, along with hundreds of furious tradies and employees, are seeking to recoup their losses.

In a furious tirade to The Daily Telegraph, Nassif claimed he was several hours outside Beirut in a “facility somewhere”, he denied there were defects at his building sites and blamed structural engineers.

“Everyone does (sic) mistakes, I’ve never done anything wrong. I was a man running an empire but sometimes mistakes happen.

Toplace’s Canterbury unit block Vicinity was riddled with defects.

The Skyview development in Castle Hill.

While mounting his defence, Nassif admitted the defect plagued Vicinity unit complex in Canterbury did have issues.

“I have one job that has a problem (Vicinity), not my fault, that design was signed off by my structural engineer….

“If the consultant did the mistake, (or) the construction engineer (made a mistake),.. it’s not my fault,” he said.

“Canterbury has a little bit of cracks which are not dangerous.. if there was danger, I wouldn’t leave them.”

Jean Nassif says his Sydney-based wife, Nissy, is divorcing him.

Jean Nassif with wife Nissy Nassif and children before he fled Australia.

He added that if “corrupt officials” lay off him and police lift the warrant for his arrest, he is “happy” to face police questioning and attend court.

“But I will never go there to be arrested - what did I do? Who did I steal? I will fix the apartments. I never run away,’ he said.

“I am the son of god, I am a warrior.”

After studying civil engineering in Beirut, Nassif left Lebanon in 1988 during the country’s brutal civil war.

He moved to Australia and started the Toplace Group in 1992.

The father-of-three still claims on the Toplace website to have delivered “30,000 residential homes, shopping centres and commercial suites” in Sydney.