John Ibrahim

{{Short description|Australian entrepreneur (born 1970)}}

{{for|the Australian footballer|John Ibrahim (footballer)}}

{{confuse|John Abraham}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}

{{Use Australian English|date=December 2011}}

{{Infobox person

| name = John Ibrahim

| birth_name = John Houssam Ibrahim

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|08|25}}

| birth_place = Tripoli, Lebanon

| citizenship = Australia

| occupation = Nightclub owner

| known_for = Alleged organised crime links

}}

John Houssam Ibrahim (born 25 August 1970{{cn|date=October 2024}}) is a former Kings Cross nightclub owner in Australia. Police allege Ibrahim is a "major organised-crime figure"{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/indepth/secret-recordings-reveal-ibrahim-world/story-fn2mt2ft-1225738613168 |title=Secret recordings reveal Ibrahim world |author=Sexton, Jennifer |work=The Sunday Telegraph|date=21 June 2009 |location=Australia }} and was labelled as the "lifeblood of the drugs industry of Kings Cross" during the 1995 Wood royal commission. However, Ibrahim strongly denies this,{{cite news |author=Welch, Dylan |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/how-the-king-of-the-cross-won-his-crown/2009/01/16/1231608986611.html |title=How the king of the cross won his crown |work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=17 January 2009 }} and has not been convicted of any related crime.

Early years

John Ibrahim was born in 1970 in Tripoli, Lebanon, before emigrating with his family to Australia as a child.https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/john-ibrahim-the-teflon-man-of-kings-cross/news-story/58b4298bfac79335808bcf9dc4ab4c81 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}} Ibrahim is the second of four sons and two daughters born to Wahiba Ibrahim and her husband.{{cite news|title=Ibrahim clan visit ailing mother|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/ibrahim-clan-visit-ailing-mother/story-e6frfmqr-1225962931741|accessdate=3 April 2012|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=30 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216134559/https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/ibrahim-clan-visit-ailing-mother/news-story/c7637c8ecb5f8f835cb2be8981ebad14|archive-date=16 December 2019}} Often referred to as the "Ibrahim brothers", the eldest son is Hassan "Sam" (b. {{circa|1966}}), followed by John, Fadi (b. {{circa|1974}}), and the youngest son is Michael (b. {{circa|1979}}).{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw-act/john-ibrahim-a-king-and-his-many-castles/story-e6freuzi-1225854732448 |title=John Ibrahim – a King and his many castles |author=Fife-Yeomans, Janet |work=The Daily Telegraph|location=Australia |date=17 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021223243/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/john-ibrahim-a-king-and-his-many-castles/story-e6freuzi-1225854732448 |archive-date=21 October 2016}}

At age 16, Ibrahim witnessed the brother of Bill Bayeh being attacked by two men. Ibrahim became involved and ended up receiving a large knife wound to his torso; and was treated at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney and placed into a coma for three weeks, followed by six months' recovery in the hospital, due to extensive damage to his lungs, liver, and intestines. The stabbing resulted in a large scar.

Business and personal interests

Aged 18 years old, Ibrahim acquired his first nightclub in Kings Cross, taking a 20% stake in a club then known as Tunnel Cabaret. Ibrahim sold the club in 2001 and its name changed to EP1; with police unsuccessfully taking legal action to have the venue closed, alleging it was part of organised drug activities in Kings Cross. In 2004, new owners relaunched the Earl Place club as Dragonfly then it came again under Ibrahim's ownership, renaming it The Tunnel before closing down permanently.{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/im-a-black-sheep-admits-john-ibrahim-at-re-opening-of-underbelly-club-the-tunnel/story-e6frfkvr-1225858166271 |title=I'm a black sheep, admits John Ibrahim at re-opening of Underbelly club the Tunnel |work=The Daily Telegraph|location=Australia |date=26 April 2010 }} Ibrahim is allegedly associated with a minimum of 17 nightclubs in Sydney's Kings Cross.

In 1992, Ibrahim left home, aged 22 years, and rented a Dover Heights cliff-side property of {{convert|528|m2}}. Less than ten years later, he purchased the property for $1.165 million. In 2008, the house was worth $3 million and has subsequently undergone significant redevelopment. Ibrahim owns two other properties in the same street, purchased for $2.5 million in 2007, one of which is leased to Kyle Sandilands, a radio and TV personality and business partner of Ibrahim's.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/dayfms-kyle-sandilands-moves-next-door-to-friend-john-ibrahim-in-his-empty-six-bedroom-house-in-sydneys-dover-heights/story-e6frewz0-1226338265443 |title=2DayFM's Kyle Sandilands moves next door to friend John Ibrahim in his empty six-bedroom house in Sydney's Dover Heights |date=25 April 2012 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |accessdate=1 May 2012 }}

Ibrahim has allegedly provided bank guarantees to various family members and holds property in his own name or in the name of companies associated with him. He has provided a $112,000 guarantee to his sister, Maha Sayour, in 1997 for her South Wentworthville home and acquiring a Merrylands property worth $253,000 in 2004 for allegedly no-cost. In his most recent public property purchase, in 2010 Ibrahim purchased a housing development site at Rothbury in the Hunter Valley for $275,000.

Following an incident in April 2011 involving NRL Roosters players Todd Carney and Anthony Watts, the NSW Government ordered an inquiry into whether the Trademark hotel, located in Kings Cross and owned by Ibrahim, breached laws on the responsible service of alcohol. The inquiry follows the December 2010 incident involving John Hopoate, who was subsequently convicted of the assault of a patron outside Trademark. It was reported that since July 2009 over 529 assaults have occurred either at Trademark, with Trademark security staff involvement or near the venue. Trademark is presently subject to a reduction in trading hours, restricted patron numbers, and increased security by scanning patrons with metal detectors.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ibrahim-stung-by-booze-cops-20110423-1dsbk.html#ixzz1Lqx3AP5t |title=Ibrahim stung by booze cops |author1=Mercer, Neil |author2=Carson, Vanda |work=The Sun-Herald|date=24 April 2011 |accessdate=9 May 2011 }}

Ibrahim's portrait by Oliver Watts, titled Last King of the Cross, was a finalist for the 2024 Archibald Prize.{{Cite web |title=Archibald Prize Archibald 2024 work: Last King of the Cross by Oliver Watts |url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2024/30680/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Art Gallery of New South Wales |language=en}}

=Media=

In a 2010 episode broadcast on ABC TV, Media Watch criticised the fascination of The Daily Telegraph with Ibrahim and his family.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s3016870.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923132433/http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s3016870.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 September 2010 |title=The Tele makes famous the infamous |work=Media Watch |location=Australia |date=20 September 2010 |authorlink=Jonathan Holmes (journalist) |last=Holmes |first=Jonathan |accessdate=15 August 2011 |format=transcript }} Since the 2009 shooting of Fadi Ibrahim, the family has regularly featured in The Daily Telegraph, where it was revealed that Ibrahim provided the paper with photos and stories about himself; yet at the same time, claiming to "hate attention" and complaining about the media attention he is receiving.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/john-ibrahim-i-dont-need-it/story-e6freuy9-1225787877278 |title=John Ibrahim: I don't need it |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |date=17 October 2009 |last=Hills |first=Brendan |accessdate=15 August 2011 }}

Ibrahim was portrayed by Middle Eastern Australian actor Firass Dirani in the 2010 television miniseries Underbelly: The Golden Mile, a fictional dramatic representation of Kings Cross organised crime.{{cite news |url=http://ralph.ninemsn.com.au/stuff/specialfeatures/1036768/meet-the-stars-of-underbelly-the-golden-mile |title=Meet the stars of Underbelly: The Golden Mile |work=Ralph |location=Australia |date=16 April 2010 |accessdate=22 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706110520/http://ralph.ninemsn.com.au/stuff/specialfeatures/1036768/meet-the-stars-of-underbelly-the-golden-mile |archive-date=6 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/haw-the-golden-mile-given-ibrahim-a-soft-underbelly/ |author=Shanahan, Leo |title=Has the Golden Mile given Ibrahim a soft underbelly? |work=The Punch |location=Australia |date=4 August 2010 |accessdate=22 February 2011 }}{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/underbelly-the-golden-mile-20100408-rtp3.html |author=Galvin, Nick |title=Review: Underbelly: The Golden Mile |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=8 April 2010 |accessdate=22 February 2011 }} He was also played by Lincoln Younes in the 2023-2024 television series, Last King Of The Cross, a series based on Ibrahim’s life.

In 2014, the Australian Financial Review published a detailed profile on Ibrahim. Ibrahim told an AFR journalist Christopher Joye: "Who really shoots other people’s houses in the middle of the night...In my time that was unheard of...These guys are gutless cowards. The class of 2010 onwards has been the shittiest ever. They’re just plastic gangsters. They drive around in their hotted up cars with gold chains and tattoos and then they go home and sleep at mum’s. They’re all wannabes. Cuz it’s disgusting – it’s all disorganised crime."{{cite news |url=http://www.afr.com/p/national/arts_saleroom/mr_sexy_and_sin_city_lunch_with_AZoP1V2AWRfKNYKd6V7WYO|author=Joye, Christopher |title=Mr Sexy and Sin City |work=The Australian Financial Review |date=22 February 2014 |accessdate=22 February 2014 }}

=Family associates of Ibrahim=

Ibrahim's elder brother, Sam Ibrahim, was one of the first Lebanese-Australian men to be allowed to join an Australian outlaw motorcycle club.{{cite news|last=Welch|first=Dylan|title=John Ibrahim's motley mates|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/john-ibrahims-motley-mates-20101204-18kqm.html|accessdate=3 April 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=5 December 2010}} In 1997, Sam Ibrahim was elected president of the Granville chapter of the Nomads Motorcycle Club. This chapter of the Nomads subsequently became a powerful criminal organisation in Sydney.{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} However, due to a falling out with the Nomads' leadership group, the chapter splintered in 2007 to form a new outlaw motorcycle club, the Notorious gang. Sam Ibrahim remains a life member of the Nomads Motorcycle Club.{{cite news |author1=Welch, Dylan |author2=Jacobsen, Geesche |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sam-ibrahim-hit-in-driveby-shooting-20110113-19q09.html |title=Sam Ibrahim hit in drive-by shooting |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 January 2011 |accessdate=14 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110116150035/https://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sam-ibrahim-hit-in-driveby-shooting-20110113-19q09.html |archive-date=16 January 2011}} It has been reported in the media that the Notorious gang is currently being used as street muscle to support the distribution of illegal drugs in Kings Cross and around Sydney.{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23868624-5006009,00.html |title=New bikie gang Notorious patrols Kings Cross |author=Lawrence, Kara |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |date=16 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618150756/http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23868624-5006009,00.html |archive-date=18 June 2008}}

Sam Ibrahim was charged in 2004 with the kneecapping of two men in Newcastle. He was also charged during the late 1990s, over a cocaine distribution ring involving the Nomads – but was acquitted on both matters. In 2009, Sam Ibrahim was charged over the alleged kidnapping of a teenage boy and held in custody for four months until bail was granted in July 2009. At the time of the bail hearing, it was reported that police were also investigating a second suspect in the alleged incident, Nimilote Ngata. Ngata (b. ca 1988) is the son of John Ibrahim's bodyguard, Semi "Tongan Sam" Ngata.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/indepth/on-bail-sam-ibrahim-at-brother-fadis-bedside/story-fn2mt2ft-1225751182053 |title=On bail, Sam Ibrahim at brother Fadi's bedside |author=Barrett, David |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |date=17 July 2009 |accessdate=14 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001123938/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/indepth/on-bail-sam-ibrahim-at-brother-fadis-bedside/story-fn2mt2ft-1225751182053 |archive-date= 1 October 2012}} In July 2009, "Tongan Sam" Ngata, was arrested following a raid on his home by a special gang violence taskforce that netted bulk quantities of a methamphetamine precursor.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sunday-telegraph/john-ibrahim-top-guard-tongan-sam-snared-in-drug-raid/story-e6frewt0-1225748569330 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724052948/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sunday-telegraph/john-ibrahim-top-guard-tongan-sam-snared-in-drug-raid/story-e6frewt0-1225748569330 |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 July 2012 |title=John Ibrahim top guard Tongan Sam snared in drug raid |author=Bashan, Yoni |work=The Sunday Telegraph |location=Australia |date=12 July 2009}}

Ibrahim's sister, Maha Sayour (b. ca 1971), was charged in 2009 with recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime following a police raid on her South Wentworthville home where police allegedly found shrink-wrapped packets bulging with nearly $2.86 million cash in $50 and $100 notes hidden in the roof. The matter was committed for trial{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/ibrahim-sister-to-face-trial-over-3m-stash/story-e6frg6nf-1226035324957 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121230223128/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/ibrahim-sister-to-face-trial-over-3m-stash/story-e6frg6nf-1226035324957 |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 December 2012 |title=Ibrahim sister to face trial over $3m stash |agency=AAP |work=The Australian |date=7 April 2011 |accessdate=7 April 2011 }} and heard before a District Court judge in December 2011, who found her not guilty.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/millions-in-the-ceiling-ibrahims-sister-not-guilty-20111212-1or34.html |title=Millions in the ceiling: Ibrahim's sister not guilty |date=12 December 2011 |agency=AAP |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=19 February 2012 }}

Two of Ibrahim's brothers, Michael{{cite news |url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/trio-face-trial-over-alleged-ibrahim-plot-20110517-1eqki.html |title=Trio face trial over alleged Ibrahim plot |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=17 May 2011 |accessdate=17 May 2011 |agency=AAP }} and Fadi,{{cite news |author=Hall, Louise |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/fadi-ibrahim-ordered-to-stand-trial-20110513-1elki.html |title=Fadi Ibrahim ordered to stand trial |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=13 May 2011 |accessdate=14 May 2011 }} were in May 2011, together with Rodney Phillip "Goldy" Atkinson, ordered to stand trial on a charge of conspiracy to murder John Macris between July and September 2009. Police allege that Michael and Fadi Ibrahim and Atkinson believed that Macris was behind the shooting of Fadi in June 2009. In December 2012, Michael Ibrahim and Atkinson were acquitted of the conspiracy to murder charge; however Michael remains in custody for an unrelated manslaughter conviction, and Atkinson has been found guilty of possessing an unauthorised pistol. He is on remand and will be sentenced in January 2013.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ibrahim-acquitted-of-murder-plot-charge-20121210-2b5c0.html#ixzz2Eyldyaqp |title=Ibrahim acquitted of murder plot charge |author=Davies, Lisa |date=10 December 2012 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=14 December 2012 }}

Ibrahim and Melissa Taylor's son Daniel John Taylor (b. ca 1990), was committed in early 2011 to stand trial in Queensland on charges of affray and assault occasioning bodily harm on a group of Melbourne tourists outside a nightclub on the Gold Coast in 2010. It is alleged that Taylor was assisted by a co-accused and that the two were jointly involved.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ibrahim-son-given-an-assault-charge/story-fn6b3v4f-1226005951093 |title=Ibrahim son given an assault charge |author=Stolz, Greg |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |date=15 February 2011 |accessdate=15 February 2011 |archive-date=5 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005054643/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ibrahim-son-given-an-assault-charge/story-fn6b3v4f-1226005951093 |url-status=dead }} Taylor's bail conditions require him to reside with Ibrahim in Sydney{{cite news |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/ibrahim-son-to-face-assault-trial/story-fn6ck45n-1226005734323 |title=Ibrahim son to face assault trial |author=Stolz, Greg |work=The Courier-Mail|location=Australia |date=14 February 2011 |accessdate=15 February 2011 |archive-date=15 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915052208/http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/ibrahim-son-to-face-assault-trial/story-fn6ck45n-1226005734323 |url-status=dead }} and ordered not to go within {{convert|1|km}} of Kings Cross despite Taylor working in the nightclub industry{{cite news |author= Dale, Amy |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/john-ibrahims-son-daniel-taylor-fights-cross-ban/story-e6freuzi-1226042477116 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121005135042/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/john-ibrahims-son-daniel-taylor-fights-cross-ban/story-e6freuzi-1226042477116 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 October 2012 |title=John Ibrahim's son Daniel Taylor fights Cross ban |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |date=21 April 2011 |accessdate=9 May 2011 }} until the matter is heard before the courts. All charges were dropped.

Michael and Fadi Ibrahim, and others, were arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and John Ibrahim's girlfriend, Sarah Budge, and his son, Daniel were arrested after action by police in Australia and the Netherlands as part of Operation Veyda in relation to two alleged major international drug syndicates operating in Australia. Budge was charged with possession of a firearm. Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan said that "More than 1.8 tonnes of MDMA (ecstasy), 136 kilograms of cocaine and 15 kg of methamphetamine were stopped from reaching Australian shores. $5.5 million dollars was also seized".{{cite news |last1=Welch|first1=Dylan |last2=Kidd|first2=Jessica |title=Police bust drug syndicates operating across Australia, Dubai and Netherlands with links to Ibrahim brothers |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-08/nsw-police-sydney-raids-ibrahim-alleged-drug-syndicate/8784118 |accessdate=18 September 2017 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=8 August 2017}}{{cite news |last1=Ralston|first1=Nick |last2=Benny-Morrison |first2=Ava |last3=Olding|first3=Rachel |title=Sydney police raids: Two drug syndicates allegedly linked to Michael Ibrahim smashed |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-police-raids-two-drug-syndicates-allegedly-linked-to-michael-ibrahim-smashed-20170808-gxrp60.html |accessdate=18 September 2017 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=8 August 2017}} Michael pled guilty to eight charges. In May 2020 he was sentenced to a jail term of 30 years, with an 18 year non-parole period.{{cite news |last1=Wells |first1=Jamelle |title=Michael Ibrahim jailed for 30 years over importation of drugs and tobacco worth millions |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-20/john-ibrahims-brother-michael-jailed-for-30-years/12267102 |accessdate=20 May 2020 |work=ABC News (on-line) |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=20 May 2020 |language=en-AU}}

Further reading

  • {{cite book |last1=Ibrahim |first1=John |title=Last King of the Cross |date=25 July 2017 |publisher=Macmillan Publishers|isbn=978-1-76055-495-8 |language=en}}
  • {{cite book |last1=Nowra |first1=Louis |title=Kings Cross: A Biography |date=2013 |publisher=NewSouth |isbn=978-1-74224-156-2 |language=en}}
  • {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=James |last2=Lobez |first2=Susanna |title=Gangland Sydney |date=2011 |publisher=Melbourne University Publishing |isbn=978-0-522-85870-9 |page=147 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ZKmBAAAQBAJ&dq=John+Ibrahim&pg=PT147 |language=en}}
  • {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=James |last2=Lobez |first2=Susanna |title=Gangland Australia |date=2010 |publisher=Victory Books |isbn=978-0-522-85737-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yjTIpxPHDIkC&dq=John+Ibrahim&pg=PA315 |language=en}}
  • {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=James |last2=Lobez |first2=Susanna |title=Dangerous To Know: An Australasian Crime Compendium |date=1 September 2009 |publisher=Melbourne University Publishing |isbn=978-0-522-85944-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2GVhAqukVA0C&dq=John+Ibrahim&pg=PT280 |language=en}}

See also

References