Salim Mehajer taken to the cleaners for $25,500 unpaid debt

The nation’s most notorious former deputy mayor has been found to have sworn a false affidavit.

Former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer outside court in Sydney last year. Picture: AAP

The nation’s most notorious former deputy mayor has been found to have sworn a false affidavit in his battle against a cleaner for unpaid work worth $25,500.

Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court yesterday found Salim Mehajer, whose 2015 wedding saw an unauthorised road closure and drew national attention, had entered into an agreement with cleaner Anping Yan and failed to make payment.

Mr Yan, who speaks little ­English, sued Mr Mehajer over the unpaid debt last year, claiming he had cleaned for the former deputy mayor for several years before an invoice covering six years work went unpaid.

In response Mr Mehajer, a property developer, said Mr Yan was being untruthful and said he would take full legal action in his defence. “If you always play victim, then you are victim to your own reality,” Mr Mehajer posted on social media shortly after the legal action was filed. “I’ll make you walk away, not all over me.”

Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson found Mr Mehajer had entered into a contract with Mr Yan and she ordered him to pay the outstanding debt, along with costs.

Mr Mehajer had claimed in his later dealing, which incurred the $25,500 cleaning fee, he had been speaking in his role as a director of SM Project Developments, which collapsed in 2013.

Mr Mehajer was banned from managing companies until ­November 2018 after he presided over a failed development company and allegedly made false statements to regulators.

Auburn council was dissolved by the NSW government in February after an investigation was launched into the council following media revelations of alleged tight relationships between councillors and property developers.

Mr Mehajer and his sister Fatima Mehajer, a lawyer, face legal action launched by the Australian Federal Police over alleged elect­oral fraud involving Auburn council.

Mr Mehajer also faces legal ­action after he allegedly assaulted a Seven Network reporter this month.

Mr Yan had told the court he had at all times dealt directly with Mr ­Mehajer, who had never made any mention of companies. “He never mentioned there was any company involved,” he said.

Ms Atkinson said Mr Yan had undertaken the services and Mr Mehajer had failed to pay.

She said Mr Mehajer’s sworn affidavits filed with the court raised concerns about his “attention to detail”.

She said Mr Mehajer’s statements to the court represented a “poor recollection of detail” about his dealings with Mr Yan.