By Lucy Cormack and Jenny Noyes
The daughter of colourful property developer Jean Nassif has been released following her arrest on serious fraud charges, after her family posted $2.6 million bail in a Sydney court on Wednesday.
Ashlyn Nassif spent the night in police custody after she was charged with dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and publishing false or misleading material to obtain an advantage.
Ashlyn Nassif departs Surry Hills police station on Wednesday.Credit: Brook Mitchell
The 27-year-old lawyer was granted bail in the Downing Centre Local Court on strict conditions including that she cease communication with a list of 24 people, including her father, and that she surrender her passport.
Jean Nassif remains in rural Lebanon, while he continues to be sought by a parliamentary inquiry probing development activities in Sydney’s north-west. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing in relation to their investigation.
Prosecutors did not oppose bail on Wednesday, when Nassif appeared via video link wearing an orange tie-dyed sweater. She waved two cuffed hands to the camera after being told her mother, sister, fiancé and brother-in-law were in court to support her, and her sister blew a kiss.
Magistrate Greg Grogin said the charges against Nassif “are extremely serious in nature” given she is a legal practitioner of the NSW Supreme Court, and that her alleged actions were “part of a sophisticated and planned situation”.
However, he added that she came before the court with no criminal record and as a person of good character. Nassif is listed as the managing partner of Sydney law firm EA Legal.
The court heard the family had agreed to forfeit $2.6 million if she failed to appear at a future court date. The matter will return to court in two weeks.
Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Organised Crime Squad executed four search warrants at businesses in Sydney’s CBD and Concord on Tuesday morning, as well as a home in Chiswick.
Ashlyn Nassif, daughter of property developer Jean Nassif, arrives at a property after being released from custody.Credit: James Brickwood
The properties included the Concord office of Jean Nassif’s property company Toplace. Nassif later presented to Surry Hills’ Day Street police station about 3.30pm, where she was arrested and charged.
Jean Nassif is among key witnesses being sought by an upper house inquiry examining allegations of impropriety over development decisions at Hills Shire Council. It is a parliamentary inquiry, and is unrelated to police investigations.
Barrister Gregory Stanton told the court on Wednesday that Jean Nassif was “ex-jurisdiction”, meaning he was outside NSW, and that his client had already been instructed not to speak to him.
Stanton said he had been preparing to make the argument, regarding his client’s risk of flight, that “the son/child (sic) shall not bear the iniquity of the father,” referencing the prophet Ezekiel.
The inquiry pursuing Jean Nassif was sparked after extraordinary claims by NSW Liberal MP Ray Williams. He told parliament last year that he had heard allegations senior members of his party had been “paid significant funds in order to arrange to put new councillors on The Hills Shire Council” who would support future development applications for Nassif’s company.
Nassif has written to the committee saying he is overseas so cannot attend the inquiry, but strongly disputes the claims that prompted the probe.
Ashlyn Nassif arrives at a property after being released from custody this afternoon.Credit: Janie Barrett
“The allegations were dealt with already by the ICAC and the person making the allegations has not offered a shred of evidence,” he previously told the committee, adding that he had not left the country to avoid the inquiry, rather it was a pre-planned holiday.
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