Family want man accused of selling government secrets brought home

The family of an Australian businessman accused of selling Australia’s secret to Chinese spies says he should be released.

The elderly mother of a Sydney businessman who is alleged to have supplied information about Australia’s defence and national security arrangements to Chinese spies has called for him to be released as he was again denied bail.

Alexander Csergo earlier this year became just the second person arrested under Australia’s foreign interference laws and has been in custody denied bail since.

The AFP has alleged that Mr Csergo, a Bondi-born marketing expert, was recruited by spies while living in Shanghai during the COVID-19 lockdown to collect information about Australia’s interests.

It has been alleged he met with two people, known as “Ken” and “Evelyn”, who paid him cash to obtain information about Australia’s defence, economic and national security arrangements.

He has been charged with one count of reckless foreign interference, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail.

Mr Csergo, through his solicitor Bernard Collaery, has denied the allegations and argued that all of the material he provided was publicly-available and “open source”.

Sydney businessman Alexander Csergo has denied selling information about Australia’s national security and defence arrangements. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Csergo was on Friday afternoon denied bail following a hearing at the Downing Centre Local Court and will remain in custody on remand, where he has been since his arrest on April 14.

Speaking outside court before his bail hearing, his mother Catherine Csergo described his ongoing detention as “absolutely disgusting.”

“He should not be in jail,” Ms Csergo said

She denied that her son had broken any laws and said the ordeal had heaped stress upon her and her family.

“What is the law in this country to drag a man at 6 o’clock in the morning and throw them in jail,” she said.

“My son is not a criminal. My son is a businessman.”

Catherine Csergo (right) with solicitor Bernard Collaery after her son Alexander Csergo was denied bail at the Downing Centre Local Court. Picture: Steve Zemek/Newswire

Mr Collaery has previously argued his client had not committed anything which could amount to “espionage” and was only guilty of “plagiarism”.

On Friday, his lawyers proposed he be released on bail including conditions that he supply a $300,000 surety.

The court heard that he took part in two lengthy interviews with the AFP during which he told officers he realised someone was trying to “put handlers onto me”.

“This man was determined not to be detained in China, relations were not good, it was lockdown, he wanted to co-operate … to keep his nose clean,” Mr Collaery said.

Mr Collaery said Mr Csergo formed the view the best course was to “co-operate” and provide “harmless” open source material that would not get him into trouble.

When he returned to Australia he carried a “shopping list” of topics which had been requested by “Ken” and “Evelyn”.

As well, the court heard, he kept in contact with “Ken” following his return to Australia.

The Crown prosecution opposed his release on bail, arguing he was a flight risk.

They also argued that after being interviewed by police - but before his arrest - he made internet searches about obtaining a Romanian or Greek passport.

In court on Friday, Mr Csergo lashed out at the allegations that had been levelled against him in a police fact sheet.

Appearing via videolink from Parklea Prison, he told Magistrate Susan Horan: “There are numerous exaggerations here, it’s unbelievable.”

Alexander Csergo has been charged with one count of reckless foreign interference. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Horan said the Crown case against Mr Csergo: “Cannot be described as weak.”

She also said it was “curious” that he had googled information about obtaining Greek and Romanian passports at a time he knew he was being investigated.

“In my view, there is a risk of failure to appear and there are no conditions which mitigate those risks,” Ms Horan said as she denied his bail application.

Outside court, Mr Collaery flagged that he would apply for bail for his client in the NSW Supreme Court.

The matter will return to court in November.