Adelaide skincare businessman Solomon Farah to stand trial for allegedly indecently assaulting women seeking jobs

A well-known Adelaide businessman will stand trial after allegedly indecently assaulting nine women while they were applying for “bogus” jobs.

An Adelaide businessman will stand trial for allegedly indecently assaulting nine women applying for jobs a court has heard were “bogus”.

On Thursday, Solomon Farah, 68, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to answer 18 pending charges against him.

Frank Barbaro, for Farah, handed to the court written instructions from his client – and Magistrate Justin Wickens recorded not guilty pleas to all counts.

Solomon Farah will now face a District Court trial for the alleged indecent assaults. Picture: NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Mr Farah, of Oakden, will now face a District Court trial for ten counts of aggravated indecent assault, three counts of indecent assault, two counts of basic indecent assault and one count each of unlawful sexual intercourse, adult sexual abuse of a child and engage in sexual intercourse with a person without consent.

Mr Farah will appear in the District Court in July.

The court previously heard Mr Farah lured women into his Currie St business, Skin Fit Co, where it’s alleged he indecently assaulted them by massaging lotion on various parts of their bodies.

Mr Farah was a partner and chief executive at CIBO Espresso for six years before leaving the company around 2011 and pursuing other career paths including joining the team at Cotto Espresso and starting his marketing company Aspire Co.

The court previously heard the former chief financial officer was originally arrested on February 7, 2024 following the alleged assault of one woman.

Mr Farah is also facing charges relating to the sexual abuse of a child. Picture: NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Solomon Farah in 2014, at Cotto Espresso at King William Road, Hyde Park. Picture: Sam Wundke

The court previously heard on the prosecution case, the business “was never in existence” and the job interviews were “bogus”.

Following the hearing, Mr Barbaro sought to vary his client’s home detention bail conditions to allow him freedom of movement and the opportunity to run another business.

The court heard a bail compliance report had been ordered, and Mr Farah had not breached any condition of his bail.

Mr Barbaro said the relaxation of conditions was sought to allow Mr Farah more “freedom” to go for walks, work out and be present in the lives of his grandchildren and attend school events.

Prosecutors told the court they were opposed to the variation, as the nine complainants who had come forward with allegations that spanned two decades needed to be protected.

“Compliance with bail as outlined by the report is the court’s expectation in my respectful submission, and is not a matter that is worthy of a reward,” prosecutors told the court.

“There are several young women within the community who perceive the need for protection and he could cause them significant distress if they were to encounter the defendant out and about.”

Mr Wickens refused the application and remanded Mr Farah on his current home detention bail.

Originally published as Adelaide skincare businessman Solomon Farah to stand trial for allegedly indecently assaulting women seeking jobs