Kidnap accused’s Abdullah Al-Kobeissy lux life: Private planes, fast cars, designer clothes
NEW details have emerged about the two men charged with kidnapping a finance influencer linked to a $2.9m civil case, including one’s life as a fellow e-commerce social media identity.
Police & Courts
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NEW details have emerged about the two men charged with kidnapping a finance influencer linked to a $2.9m civil case, including one’s life as a fellow e-commerce social media identity.
He faced Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with one count each of assault occasioning bodily harm, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, deprivation of liberty, extortion and armed robbery.
Al-Kobeissy did not appear in person and is expected to apply for bail next week.
The charges come a day after co-accused Richard Isaiah Stanley appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on the same charges.
It will be alleged Stanley and Al-Kobeissy were part of a group of five men who kidnapped e-commerce social media identity Eli Dangerfield, 24, and his 22-year-old friend from the car park of a Southport apartment complex about 6.30pm on January 18.
The men were allegedly wearing balaclavas.
It will be alleged the pair were forced into their 2020 Mercedes Benz C63 sedan.
Mr Dangerfield managed to escape and was taken to hospital for facial injuries.
Police will allege his friend was taken to another address where he was tied to a chair, assaulted and threatened. The group were allegedly armed with a baseball bat.
It is alleged while there the men made a recording of the man and threatened to release it, if he didn’t tell Mr Dangerfield to stop a civil court case in South Australia.
It is understood Mr Dangerfield is in the midst of a $2.9 million civil suit in which he is the plaintiff.
Mr Dangerfield’s friend was allegedly taken to a Logan location.
It is alleged the men told Mr Dangerfield’s mate to turn around until he heard a beep and then he was free to go.
It is also alleged the man then used a ride-share service to make his way back to Southport.
Al-Kobeissy was arrested for his alleged involvement after police searched his Paradise Point home on Tuesday.
The e-commerce guru has amassed more than 141,000 follows on social media platform Instagram.
He regularly posts photos showing an extravagant lifestyle including private planes, luxury cars, designer clothes and stays in luxury international resorts.
Less is available online about co-accused Stanley, who applied for bail in Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Police prosecutor Greg McKenzie described the allegations as “very serious”, saying the robbery and extortion charges could attract life terms of imprisonment if proven.
He said phone records and forensic evidence pointed to Stanley’s involvement, including an Uber ordered to his address by his co-accused - who denied knowing Stanley in a later police interview - hours before the alleged offending and his fingerprints in a relevant rental car.
“Footage from the primary crime scene shows four offenders all wearing masks - however, one of them is a large-built male with a body shape and gait strikingly similar to (Stanley),” Sgt McKenzie said, adding one of the alleged victims also described a “Kiwi (or) Islander accent” that matched Stanley’s.
Defence lawyer Torik Dib, of Dib and Associates, said Stanley had lived in Australia his entire life and had no identifiable accent, despite his mother’s New Zealand heritage.
He said Stanley was largely alleged to have been a party to the kidnapping, rather than playing a direct role, and had no relevant criminal history or connections to organised crime.
Mr Dib told the court the phone data and other forms of evidence could also prove unreliable.
He proposed several strict bail conditions that could be imposed on the Darra man, including staying away from the Gold Coast unless attending court and limits on mobile phone use.
Magistrate Michelle Dooley refused Stanley’s bail, saying the alleged extortion involved “high levels of organisation” and his release could put witnesses or alleged victims at risk.
Stanley will be remanded in custody until his next court date on April 20.
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