The administrators have launched legal action against Jean Nassif and his brother Bakhos in Lebanon over Nassif’s withdrawal of $10 million from a Westpac loan facility. Nassif transferred the money to his brother’s Bank of Beirut account. Nassif is also being pursued for $7.6 million he allegedly borrowed from company accounts, with interest accruing at more than $1800 per day. Despite Nassif claiming to be up at night running his Australian business, the administrators have had no contact with him.
Nassif’s lawyers were in Federal Court seeking permission for him to continue his defamation action against 2GB’s morning host Hadley and Harbour Radio, which is owned by Nine. They cited Nassif’s personal and health circumstances as reasons for not complying with court orders. However, Hadley’s legal team raised concerns about the lack of documentation supporting Nassif’s claims of health issues preventing his return to Australia. The only evidence provided was a photograph of Nassif in a hospital setting.
Nassif submitted a photograph from a Lebanese hospital as proof of a medical condition preventing his return to Australia. He claimed to have had a hernia repair in June 2023 and another operation in September, which advised him against heavy weightlifting and to wear compression garments. However, the court was presented with reports of further medical issues and evaluations that delayed Nassif’s ability to return, including psychiatric and cardiology problems.
Following a report on Nassif by ABC’s Background Briefing program, Nassif told his lawyers he had a suspected brain hemorrhage. However, The Daily Telegraph reported seeing him at a casino in Lebanon, smoking cigars, gambling, and joking with minders. Despite these reports, Nassif indicated to his lawyers that he should be well enough to return to Australia by September 20. The court required an additional $50,000 security payment for the reinstatement of the defamation proceedings, which was paid by a law firm, though the source of the funds was not disclosed.
Last August, the Federal Court ordered Nassif to pay $900,000 in security to cover legal costs in case he lost the case against Hadley and Harbour Radio. The money arrived the day before proceedings were dismissed, with the source of the payment unclear as Nassif’s personal bank accounts were closed and business accounts frozen. Hadley’s legal team requested that the $350,000 paid by Nassif in security for costs prevent a complete dismissal of the case, as additional costs could total around $875,000. Affected creditors of the Toplace group of companies voted for administrators to establish a Deed of Company Arrangement for up to 10 months instead of liquidation.
