Sydney banker’s bid to hide dead wife’s identity amid Ahmad Al-Zghoul court proceedings

A Sydney banker underwent an extraordinary court bid to keep secret the identity of his wife, who was found dead in a hotel room after allegedly being given cocaine by her drug dealer lover.

Ahmad Al-Zghoul denies supplying cocaine to the mother.

A Sydney investment banker underwent an extraordinary five-month court bid to keep secret the identity of his wife, who was found dead in a CBD hotel room after allegedly being given cocaine by her drug dealer lover.

The woman, a mother from Sydney’s eastern suburbs, met formworker Ahmad Al-Zghoul, 37, in room 3402 at Haymarket’s Meriton Suites before paramedics were called almost three hours later, police will allege.

Al-Zghoul is not accused of being responsible for the woman’s death.

The woman, who was unable to be revived, was later found to have had cocaine, alcohol and the dangerous drug GBL in her system.

Police also said she had been drinking throughout the day.

Her husband, who is an investment banker for a top firm in Sydney, went to court wanting to keep his and his late wife’s identities out of the media in connection to the reporting of Al-Zghoul’s criminal proceedings.

The woman was found dead in room 3402 at Haymarket’s Meriton Suites.

Lawyers for the husband also issued a subpoena to try and reveal The Daily Telegraph’s source for the story, but that was unsuccessful.

A non-publication order on their names was granted in the NSW Local Court on Tuesday.

A NSW politician had liked a photo of the couple on social media, indicating their links to Sydney’s elite.

A friend of the woman told The Daily Telegraph that she had a vivacious personality.

“She had the most beautiful smile and laugh – she was cheeky,” the friend said.

Al-Zghoul, who lives in Panania and who is married with three children, had allegedly saved a number in his phone under the woman’s first name.

He told detectives they had consensual activity together in the room on the night and that the woman had taken cocaine, GBL and alcohol, police will allege.

Al-Zghoul allegedly said they had both fallen asleep before he noticed she was unresponsive when he was woken up by a phone call just after midnight.

He performed CPR and dialled triple-0 to get emergency services, who quickly attended before she was declared dead.

Criminal lawyer Ahmed Dib says Al-Zghoul denies any wrongdoing.

Police allege Al-Zghoul knowingly took part in the supply of cocaine to the woman.

Officers also allege that a bag of cocaine was found on an outside windowsill, suggesting someone had tried to throw it from the hotel room.

Another almost empty bag was found next to a bottle of champagne on a bedside table.

Al-Zghoul, who is being represented by criminal defence lawyer Ahmed Dib, has pleaded not guilty to his single drug supply charge and will next appear in court for a hearing in July.

When contacted on Tuesday, Mr Dib said: “It’s a tragedy and we’re sympathetic to the death of this young woman.

“We also send our condolences to her family and loved ones. But in so far as discussing my client’s charges: He denies any wrongdoing and therefore will be defending these charges”.

Police will allege Al-Zghoul claimed to police he had met the woman by chance on a street that night, but they tapped his phone and he was allegedly recorded telling an associate how he had earlier seen her in a car when they both met a dealer.

“For my mate’s birthday that day, I was trying to see my dealer, I went to pick him up to get one and he told me he was going to see someone around the corner, go see them first, and then he would give me one for me … and I was like, yeah sweet and that one was (the woman) and that’s how I met her,” Al-Zghoul allegedly said.

“So I was just driving and I turned around the corner and she jumped in the car, they talk together for two minutes … and obviously she took one from him, she paid him … to be honest I’m not sure if she took one or two or whatever … I drive around the block.”

Police arrested Al-Zghoul and he allegedly confirmed that was him on the tapped phone call.

He told detectives that he had driven to the CBD to buy cocaine from the unidentified dealer, who had told him he needed to see a friend around the corner.

He denied supplying drugs to the woman.

CCTV had captured the woman leaving her hotel room while counting $50 notes.

When asked about having the woman’s name saved in his phone, Al-Zghoul allegedly said it was because he had backed up his phone from a friend’s account and it had possibly transferred over.

Police allege Al-Zghoul had searched the address of the woman’s hotel on his phone earlier in the day and that he already had her number saved on his phone.

Police also allege Al-Zghoul drove the “unknown” drug dealer to her CBD hotel, called her on his mobile telling her he was outside and then drove around the block while she obtained cocaine.