Arabic version: هيئة مكافحة الفساد تستمع إلى نزاع بشأن ادعاء ابتزاز نصيف
According to ABC News, a $5 million demand described as an alleged extortion attempt against fugitive property developer Jean Nassif was challenged during a NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry. Counsel assisting the commission, Peggy Dwyer SC, told former Toplace executive Sharangan Maheswaran that messages involving contractor Navid Ardestani appeared to be requests for payment and remediation work, rather than extortion.
The inquiry heard that Nassif had forwarded messages from Ardestani to Maheswaran as evidence of an alleged extortion attempt. Dwyer said the full exchange showed Ardestani seeking payment for contractors and trying to arrange remedial works at Nassif developments with defects. She told Maheswaran the material “puts a lie” to the extortion claim. Maheswaran maintained there may have been an extortion attempt, though it was not reported to police at the time.
Messages read to the commission included Ardestani asking Nassif to prepare a $5 million bank cheque for a remedial construction company and $250,000 for painting and rendering work. The inquiry heard that a meeting was intended to organise a builder to conduct work requested by then-NSW building commissioner David Chandler. Ardestani said builders would not meet unless the money was ready, and later rejected Nassif’s accusation that he was playing “illegal games”. Ardestani is not accused of wrongdoing.
ICAC is examining whether prohibited political donations linked to Nassif were exchanged for political favours, including the possible removal of Chandler and an end to his investigations into Nassif developments. In a recorded call played to the inquiry, Nassif accused Ardestani of sending a report about his developments to Chandler and said he had been told the contractor controlled “the government, the commissioner, and the ministers”. Ardestani denied knowing the building commissioner.
The commission had previously heard that an alleged extortion attempt was raised at a 2021 meeting involving Toplace representatives while Chandler was scrutinising serious defects at Skyview. Chandler said he was told of an alleged $5 million demand and offered to accompany a Toplace representative to police. The alleged payment was said to be linked to lifting a prohibition order, an allegation Chandler has denied. Nassif has previously denied fabricating the extortion allegation to damage Chandler.
