An inquiry into “filthy schools money” and disguised political donations has detailed allegations of council intimidation, blackmail, covert surveillance, and AI-assisted legal statements.
In what was meant to be Operation Rosny’s eighth and final week of public hearings, proceedings were punctuated by two video appearances from rogue developer Jean Nassif. Between them, former Strathfield mayor Matthew Blackmore testified he was “shanghaied” into unplanned café meetings with developers and targeted by anonymous flyers.
Lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood was questioned over nearly $350,000 paid to Anita Perrottet’s firm, Macquarie Consulting; claiming the money was for greyhound industry consulting, but counsel assisting pointed to ledgers matching a one-third cut of developer cash linked to her husband Charles Perrottet.
Dialling in from his Beirut bedroom, Toplace founder Jean Nassif delivered two days of wild, deeply belligerent testimony. Appearing without legal representation, Nassif repeatedly shouted over counsel assisting Dr Peggy Dwyer and Assistant Commissioner Fabian Gleeson SC, insisting he is an “honourable” billionaire targeted by a corrupt political “deep state”.
Nassif launched ferocious broadsides against former Police Minister David Elliott, accusing him of being a “racist person” and a “corrupt politician” who ran a “legalised mafia” in northwest Sydney. He claimed Elliott and local Liberal councillors systematically blocked his housing developments because he refused to pay them off, as Elliott had a personal vendetta against “non-establishment” developers.
Former Building Commissioner David Chandler, radio host Ray Hadley, and departmental officials also copped his wrath, Nassif lumped them together as “crooks” and “one person” who fabricated building defects.
Former Strathfield councillor Sharangan Maheswaran spent the end of the week on the defensive under examination by counsel assisting Dr Peggy Dwyer. The inquiry heard allegations Maheswaran campaigned to oust Blackmore, acted as a middleman for Nassif, and arranged private surveillance on former police minister David Elliott.
Maheswaran, a lawyer, faces scrutiny over alleged corruption, blackmail, and surveillance breaches. He returns to the stand next week.
ICAC has made no findings against anyone named in the inquiry, and all allegations remain unproven.
What Jean Nassif said on Week 8 of Operation Rosny
Here’s a curation selection of Jean Nassif’s quote in front of Assistant Commissioner Fabian Gleeson SC with counsel assisting ICAC, Dr Peggy Dwyer, asking the questions.
Keep scrolling for the weekly wrap of other witnesses …
Testifying on September 14 regarding public complaints made by the former Police Minister David Elliott about Toplace building defects:
“He’s a racist person, and he, he is corrupt politician, and he have legalised, legalised mafia in Baulkham Hills and Parramatta area.”
Explaining on September 14 why he believed media reports and building defect notices were part of a coordinated conspiracy:
"Ray Hadley and David Elliott and Chandeler, they’re one person. They’re a crook... They were talking about fabricating the problems by Chandler and Chandler’s voice."
Reacting on September 15 to text messages instructing him to pay $5 million into a lawyer’s trust account:
Of course this is extortion messages where they demanded $5 million to Commissioner and my problems with him will go away... That was their fees for creating, organising the extortion and the corrupt payment for Chandler."
Admitting on September 15 that he was pleased if his consulting fees to Beckington were used to fund right-faction branch stacking:
“If they want to use it to recruit and to rule the country, it is more satisfactory to me. I’m not hiding... If they use that money to take the whole country, not only Baulkham Hill.”
Rejecting on September 15 evidence that his daughter Ashlyn falsified pre-sale contracts at his direction to secure a $150 million Westpac loan:
“She’s being forced to plead guilty otherwise they won’t release her off the hook... They corruptly damage a 20 years, 22 years old, a young, smart, beautiful, hardworking, honest girl because of their dirty mind.”
Explaining on September 15 why he remains in Lebanon as a fugitive rather than returning to face active arrest warrants:
I will come back to Australia, but wait, I am going to now collect a beautiful legal team who are willing to fight politicians... I am not coming back to Australia to be killed by the mafia boys.”
… and the other witnesses
Matthew Blackmore
Shanghaied developer meetings: Testified that local real estate agent Antoine Doueihi “shanghaied” him by offering a ride to inspect Westmead properties, only to drive him to a Parramatta office for an intimidating, undeclared meeting with property developer Charlie Demian.
Five-month surveillance campaign: Detailed a high-pressure meeting where Councillor Sharangan Maheswaran claimed ex-police officers had conducted five months of covert surveillance on Blackmore.
Smear flyer ambush: Recounted finding a cluster of anonymous flyers plastered over his car outside an appointment, detailing historical criminal convictions in a coordinated campaign to force him to step down.
Brothel car photograph: Admitted he asked his wife to photograph Councillor Maheswaran’s car parked near a local brothel on his street because he felt intimidated and wanted to verify if Maheswaran was stalking his home.
Jeremy Greenwood
Siphoned developer ledger: Confronted with a distribution spreadsheet recovered from his phone showing Jean Nassif’s $2 million “fast-track money” split three ways between himself, Christian Ellis, and Charles Perrottet, matching the exact sums paid to Anita Perrottet’s Macquarie Consulting.
Manufactured evidence trail: Failed to explain why empty Google Drive folders titled “Philip Morris,” “British Tobacco,” “Catholic Cemeteries,” and “Greyhounds” were created and shared by Anita Perrottet in March 2023 (after the parliamentary inquiry began) with Dr Dwyer calling it a “transparent attempt to manufacture evidence” of legitimate work.
Racist chief-of-staff abuse: Admitted sending abusive and racist text messages denigrating Treasurer Dominic Perrottet’s chief of staff after the officer firmly rejected lobbyist pressure, stating the government had “no interest in doing favours for developers”.
Unwritten PDU success fees: Admitted that despite no written contracts existing for $1.5 million+ in lump-sum cheques received from Toplace, payments were drawn down whenever fast-track planning milestones like Garthowen Crescent were announced.
Mohammad Abedin
ChatGPT statement fabrication: Admitted under oath that he used “ChatGPT” on his mobile phone while in Bangladesh to generate his ICAC witness statement alleging misconduct by Matthew Blackmore, but collapsed under cross-examination when shown Councillor Sharangan Maheswaran had emailed the exact document to a lawyer hours before Abedin signed it.
Dishonoured deposit embezzlement: Exposed during cross-examination as having been arrested and convicted in March 2025 for embezzling a $550,000 property deposit and issuing three dishonoured cheques that bounced when the buyer demanded her money back.
Unpaid real estate commission: Admitted he refused to pay Blackmore $15,000 to $20,000 in outstanding real estate commissions after their agency partnership collapsed, accusing Blackmore of “dishonesty” and taking cash on the side.
Unsolicited statement delivery: Claimed he voluntarily handed his ChatGPT-assisted statement to Councillor Maheswaran out of “stupidity,” despite initial reluctance and lack of legal knowledge regarding the ongoing Commission inquiry.
More on Operation Rosny:
ICAC has made no findings in Operation Rosny. All individuals named are the subject of allegations being examined at a public inquiry.
Operation Rosny involves allegations concerning people associated with the NSW Liberal Party, Catholic Schools NSW CEO Dallas McInerney, property developer Jean Nassif, hotelier Michael O’Hara, Strathfield councillors and others. To read the allegations in full, go to the dedicated ICAC Operation Rosny page