Adelaide businessman Solomon Farah allegedly indecently assaulted women during fake interviews, court hears

A well-known Adelaide businessman allegedly indecently assaulted women during “bogus” job interviews for a company that didn’t even exist, a court has heard.

An Adelaide businessman allegedly hosted “bogus job interviews” to indecently assault job applicants for roles in a business that did not exist, a court has heard.

On Tuesday, Adelaide business identity Solomon Farah, 67, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in a bid to relax home detention bail conditions.

Magistrate Simon Smart heard submissions from prosecutors detailing how 18 complainants had come forward to report Mr Farah for allegedly indecently assaulting them and abusing his position of power – allegedly over a 20-year period.

The court has previously heard 12 were lured into his Currie St skin care business.

Prosecutors alleged the indecent assaults took place in the context of his role or when the alleged victims attended his office for “bogus” job interviews for a business that never existed.

“The allegations currently involve both indecent assaults, and assaults by the defendant in the context of not only his position but also in the context of what we say was a bogus job interview, which is how the offending was facilitated,” the prosecutors said.

“The prosecution case is that the business was never in existence, not a real job interview.”

“The offending is alleged to have occurred over a period of approximately 20 years with different complainants.”

Prosecutors alleged Mr Farah had access to the complainants’ personal details due to the submissions of the job applications, however Andrew Ey said Mr Farah had not been in contact with any complainant.

Mr Ey, for Mr Farah, said his client had been compliant with the bail conditions, and some of the alleged victims’ statements showed the contact was consensual.

The court heard Mr Farah’s supporters offered a combined $40,000 to the court – but it was not enough to persuade that he should be removed from electronic monitoring. Picture: NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

The Oakden man is yet to enter a plea to a number of indecent assault and assault charges, as well as a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse and one of adult sexual abuse of a child.

The court previously heard Mr Farah lured 18 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 following the alleged assault of one woman.

“He rubbed lotion on her and felt up her breasts under her shirt and made comments about her breasts being bouncy with lotion,” the prosecutor said.

Mr Ey said four members of Mr Farah’s family and friends were available to act as guarantors each in the sum of $10,000 if his home detention bail was relaxed to supervised conditions.

Mr Smart refused the application, saying the gravity of the alleged offending outweighed the application to remove the electronic monitoring conditions.

Mr Smart remanded Mr Farah on continuing home detention bail until he faces court again in the new year.

Originally published as Adelaide businessman Solomon Farah allegedly indecently assaulted women during fake interviews, court hears