A Chinese real estate developer secretly filmed Australian local councilors holding hands with escorts on a “boys’ weekend trip”. Chinaheard a corruption probe.
The high-class sex workers were caught on camera alongside the bald, middle-aged men seated at Hurstville/Georges River Council in the Southwest Sydneyin a shabby honey trap.
The young women in short and tight dresses, hand in hand, lead away former mayor Vincenzo Badalati and city councilor Philip Sansom and eat together.
Now Mr Badalati has admitted the shady video was taken as part of an extortion conspiracy that is now being targeted NSW‘s Independent Commission Against Corruption.
A Chinese real estate developer secretly filmed Sydney councilors sending them with escorts on luxury boy’s weekend trips to China, a corruption probe has heard
The high-class sex workers were filmed on camera as they snuggled up to the bald, middle-aged men before being seen leading them away hand in hand
The ICAC is investigating alleged plan approval kickbacks at the Hurstville/Georges River Council, with Mayor Badalati, Councilor Sansom and Deputy Ex-Mayor Constantine Hindi allegedly taking bribes to aid developments between 2014 and 2021.
Clifton Wong, 62, was found dead in his office after making a statement about alleged corruption at Hurstville Council in Sydney
The inquiry was rocked earlier this month by the apparent suicide of one of the council members called to testify.
Clifton Wong, 62, was found dead in his Sydney office on July 6, eight days after he told the inquest he had failed to report a developer who allegedly paid $10,000 to former Deputy Mayor Hindi had slipped.
Real estate developer Ching Wah Uy, known as Phillip Uy, was behind plans to build the $128 million Landmark One hotel, retail and residential complex and a $44 million 75-apartment high-rise in Hurstville.
The inquiry had previously heard the developer would regularly fly councilors to China for “boys’ weekends”, with Mr Uy often picking up the bill.
But he secretly filmed the councilors’ videos with the escorts and paid them off as part of a blackmail scheme, Mr Badalati told the inquiry.
The ICAC inquiry heard that Phillip Uy and Councilor Philip Sansom had teamed up with escorts on several trips to China in 2014 and 2015
Real estate developer Ching Wah Uy, known as Phillip Uy, was behind plans to build the $128 million Landmark One hotel, retail and residential complex (pictured) and a $29 million 75-apartment high-rise in Hurstville
Explosive video footage was shown Tuesday of Sansom and Badalati having dinner with companions and the pair walking away hand in hand.
The developer is briefly seen in a reflection pretending to be on the phone on his phone while secretly recording the councilors with the young women.
The former Hurstville mayor admitted the woman he was filmed with on camera was an escort, but he had not paid for her services and believed Mr Uy had.
“Having seen this video and the other, I believe it was a blackmail tool,” he told ICAC after being confronted with clips from March 2013 and again from July 2013.
“Now it’s clear to me.”
Ex-Mayor Vincenzo Badalati (centre) admitted the woman he was filmed with on camera was an escort, but he had not paid for her services and believed developer Phillip Uy (left) had
Vincenzo Badalati reportedly received $70,000 to support the 75-unit apartment block, and then he and Deputy Mayor Hindi reportedly received $100,000 each to support the development of Landmark One
Former Hurstville Mayor Vincenzo Badalati admitted the woman he was filmed with on camera was an escort
He said he believes the footage was shot to be used against him and forcing him to support planning approval for Mr Uy’s developments.
“If that had been shown to your family at the time, would you have been very embarrassed?” Counsel Assisting the Commission Zelie Heger asked him.
He said it had been, but admitted Mr Uy had not used it to blackmail him and he had only seen the footage for the first time at the inquest.
On Monday, the ICAC inquiry heard that Mr Uy and Councilor Sansom had also teamed up with escorts on several trips to China in 2014 and 2015.
Receipts presented to the inquiry showed Mr Uy had spent thousands on flights and hotel accommodation for Mr Sansom, who claimed he had repaid some airfare.
When Ms Heger said it was a “significant conflict of interest”, he admitted he should have declared that he had a “non-financial interest”.
Phillip Uy admitted taking a photo of around $300,000 in cash on an ironing board at his Rhodes flat in Sydney
Mr Badalati has previously admitted accepting an alleged $170,000 bribe from Mr Uy for supporting planning approval for his two developments in 2016 despite opposition from council staff.
Phillip Uy denies giving the bribes and said he would take the money to Hong Kong
He reportedly received $70,000 to support the 75-unit apartment block, and then he and Deputy Mayor Hindi reportedly received $100,000 each to support the development of Landmark One.
‘[Mr Uy] opened his trunk and gave us two bags each [and said] “Thank you for your support at Landmark,” Mr. Badalati told the inquiry in June.
Mr Uy denies giving the bribes but admitted taking a photograph of around $300,000 in cash on an ironing board at his Rhodes flat in Sydney.
He said he withdrew the money to take back to Hong Kong.
The investigation continues.
