PHOTO: Ashlyn Nassif
👩⚖️💰 High-stakes courtroom drama is unfolding as Ashlyn Nassif, the daughter of controversial Sydney property developer Jean Nassif, is left to face serious fraud charges—alone.
💣 In a shocking twist, her father—allegedly behind a $150 million fake loan scheme—has fled to Lebanon, leaving his daughter to “fend for herself.”
👩⚖️ Heiress on Trial: Fraud, Fake Contracts & Family Fallout
At just 30 years old, Ashlyn Nassif, a solicitor, appeared in Burwood Local Court as the hearing into the alleged fraudulent loan tied to the Skyview towers project began. Police allege she falsified documents to satisfy a $10.5M pre-sale condition, allowing her father’s company to secure a massive $150M loan from Westpac.
🔍 According to police, the fake contracts were submitted over a three-month span in 2021 to help finance the construction of 900 apartments.
💔 “She’s Been Abandoned”: Father on the Run, Daughter on the Stand
Ashlyn’s lawyer, Murugan Thangaraj SC, told the court that Jean Nassif—once one of Sydney’s most high-profile developers—has disappeared overseas and left his daughter to carry the legal burden.
📍 Jean Nassif is now believed to be in Lebanon. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, but he has not yet been formally charged.
Ashlyn Nassif attended Burwood Local Court on Wednesday as a hearing into the allegedly fraudulent $150m loan began. Photo: Gaye Gerard / NewsWire
🏦 Westpac Whistleblower Admits “Embarrassing” Dealings
🧾 The court also heard testimony from Graham Smith, a former Westpac relationship manager who admitted to receiving $150,000 in consultancy payments and a family holiday to the U.S.—funded by Jean Nassif.
❗ These payments were never disclosed to the bank.
🗣️ “I’m embarrassed to be here answering questions about it,” Smith admitted under cross-examination.
He insisted the money wasn’t a bribe, despite acknowledging it was a conflict of interest and that he should have reported it to Westpac.
🏗️ The Rise and Fall of Toplace
🏢 The luxury $900M Skyview apartment complex in Castle Hill was built by Jean Nassif’s firm, Toplace, which collapsed in late 2023 amid mounting controversies and financial scrutiny.
📜 Ashlyn Nassif faces charges of:
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🧾 Dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception
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📄 Publishing false or misleading material
She is currently on conditional bail and has yet to enter pleas.
It’s alleged Ashlyn Nassif submitted fake contracts to Westpac over three months in 2021 to obtain a $150m loan to fund about 900 apartments. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard
⚖️ What’s Next?
The high-profile case continues to grip public attention, as the court digs deeper into one of Australia’s biggest alleged property fraud scandals.
🧠 Lesson? Even in luxury real estate, everything isn’t always as it seems. 💼
SOURCE: NEWS.COM.AU