Sydney nightclub identity John Ibrahim has slammed the release of information from 860 tapped calls and texts involving his family
Sydney nightclub identity John Ibrahim has slammed the release of information from 860 tapped calls and texts involving his family and friends as ‘disgusting’ and a ‘huge breach of privacy’.
Mr Ibrahim broke his silence about sensational claims of tensions with his brother and son, a ‘$10 million’ tax claim against him and a ‘secret tunnel’ under his house in an exclusive interview on Sunday.
In the wake of a series of reports about his family that emerged this morning, the ‘King of the Cross’ said: ‘It’s a massive breach of privacy … What purpose does it serve in the public interest except to humiliate a family?’
Mr Ibrahim hit out after the Sunday Telegraph published 24 pages worth of reports about his family and its associates – which the nightclub boss said ‘serves no purpose’.
‘There’s no need to be showing people my private bedroom, especially since I haven’t been charged,’ a scathing Mr Ibrahim said. ‘It’s a bit disgusting’.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Mr Ibrahim confirmed he had to pay off a large sum to the Tax Office in the past 13 years – ‘big deal’, he said.
Mr Ibrahim broke his silence about sensational claims of tensions with his brother and son, a ‘$10 million’ tax claim against him and a ‘secret tunnel’ under his house. Pictured: Sam (left), Michael (centre) and John Ibrahim
John’s youngest son Daniel (left) was initially accused of involvement in the alleged smuggling ring but was cleared. Fadi Ibrahim (right) is fighting a charge of alleged dealing with the proceeds of crime relating to tobacco imports
He said phone transcripts tendered in court where his son claimed they had scuffled, and his brother complained about John to his accountant, were just them ‘letting off steam’.
Meanwhile, the infamous eyebrow waxing of two Ibrahim associates believed to have crossed members of the clan was all a ‘joke’ – nothing sinister.
Plus, Mr Ibrahim insisted the rumoured ‘escape tunnel’ under his house is just a service room for his pool: ‘Are you f***Ing serious? … It’s to service the pool!’
John Ibrahim and his family: Tax and ‘tensions’
The reports that so incensed Mr Ibrahim come close to two years after his youngest brother, Michael, and third-eldest sibling Fadi were both arrested and charged over their alleged roles in a crime syndicate. (Michael was charged with commercial drug supply, and Fadi is fighting a charge of alleged dealing with the proceeds of crime relating to tobacco imports.)
Their cases remain before the courts, but there is no suggestion John Ibrahim was involved. His Dover Heights clifftop mansion was itself raided by police during the investigation on August 8, 2017, but no charges were laid, and Mr Ibrahim said it was simply a ‘fishing expedition’.
John’s youngest son Daniel was initially accused of involvement in the alleged smuggling ring, after he was arrested for allegedly holding a suitcase with more than $2 million in cash. But Daniel was recently cleared of involvement at a committal hearing.
Daily Mail Australia understands a ‘disappointed and disgusted’ John ‘hasn’t spoken to anyone’ tangled up in the alleged crime syndicate for two years. (Mr Ibrahim declined to comment on this.)
The Telegraph today reported on a transcript of phone recordings involving Mr Ibrahim’s son, Daniel, which was tendered in court. In the recording, the former Australian Army soldier son Daniel reportedly told a friend he ‘had it out’ with his dad, after Daniel was released on bail in 2017.
Daniel was quoted telling his mate: ‘f***ing he slapped me across the face called me an embarrassment, that me and his brothers have ruined everything he’s tried to achieve. He swung twice … So I grabbed his face and slammed him up against the wall,’ Daniel reportedly said.
The report also made claims there were tensions between Fadi and John over a multi-million tax claim against John.
The paper claimed John’s brother, Michael, told an associate the claim started at ‘$10 million’ but John negotiated that number down.
Daily Mail Australia understands a ‘disappointed and disgusted’ John (pictured with a friend) ‘hasn’t spoken to anyone’ tangled up in the alleged crime syndicate for two years
Fadi reportedly fumed about it to his accountant on the phone, which was tapped by authorities, court documents said.
Mr Ibrahim told Daily Mail Australia: ‘These tax issues were sorted out back in 2006. This was way before any of this crap.
‘Like anyone else, I had a tax bill and it was negotiated down. It was agreed in arbitration – and big deal.’
Mr Ibrahim rubbished the phone calls reported today as ‘idiots letting off steam’.
He repeatedly said ‘no comment’ when asked specific questions about Daniel and Fadi.
An ‘escape tunnel’ and mystery eyebrows
Mr Ibrahim was scathing about lingering claims his multi-storey house has an ‘escape tunnel’ should he ever need to use it to ‘make a quick exit’ onto the neighbouring council reserve.
‘Are you guys f***ing serious? There’s a pool right there next to it. It’s to service the pool!’ he said.
‘There’s a been a council guy here to see it and just laughed! … That’s where the f***ing pool is and you have to get there to service it. It’s so ridiculous.’
Mr Ibrahim was scathing about lingering claims his multi-storey house has an ‘escape tunnel’ should he ever need to use it to ‘make a quick exit’
‘Are you guys f***ing serious? There’s a pool right there next to it. It’s to service the pool!’ he said
‘There’s a been a council guy here to see it and just laughed! … That’s where the f***ing pool is and you have to get there to service it. It’s so ridiculous,’ Mr Ibrahim said
As for claims police collected two sets of plucked eyebrows belonging to Ibrahim associates from his home in 2017, Ibrahim admitted the ‘the eyebrows were a thing’.
Police found two sets of eyebrows on wax strips during their raid. They belonged to two associates – Ryan Watsford and Jason Chester – who had reportedly ‘crossed’ the Ibrahims.
But Mr Ibrahim said there was nothing ‘sinister’ about what other media described as the pair’s ‘waxing punishment’.
Mr Ibrahim said: ‘It was negotiated among friends about non-payment of bills. I actually thought it was the more easy way to go. It was a solution to a problem.
‘And it was all done in fun. It wasn’t like so sinister as the paper’s making out.
‘It was a joke amongst friends – They’d shaved each others’ eyebrows before on holidays …
‘Everyone’s laughing, it’s hilarious.’
Ibrahim’s friend, the radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands, was reportedly present at the time of the eyebrows’ removal.
‘It wasn’t like they were held down at like gunpoint, their eyebrows had to go — it’s a JOKE,’ Mr Ibrahim said.
The Sydney identity today laughed as he said he’s going to have to write a sequel to his book, The Last King of the Cross.
He tapped out that book using his iPhone notes app and was even rewarded with a crime writing certificate for it.
Mr Ibrahim said: ‘This is just the second book getting written. They’re writing the second book themselves.
‘I’m going to have to (write another one) now.’
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