John Ibrahim

John Houssam Ibrahim (25 August 1968) is a Kings Cross nightclub owner. Police allege Ibrahim is a "major organised-crime figure" and was labelled as the "lifeblood of the drugs industry of Kings Cross" during the 1995 Wood royal commission however, Ibrahim strongly denies being involved in the drug trade and organised crime.

Ibrahim is the 2nd of four sons and two daughters born to Wahiba Ibrahim and her husband, in a Muslim household. Often referred to as the "Ibrahim brothers", the eldest son is Hassan "Sam" (b. ca 1966), followed by John, Fadi (b. ca 1974), and the youngest son is Michael (b. ca 1979).

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. A large scar is the result of the stabbing.

Aged 18 years, Ibrahim opened 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 and it still continues to operate, now known as The Tunnel, again under Ibrahim's ownership. 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 528 square metres (5,680 sq ft). Less than ten years later, he purchased the property for A$1.165 million. In 2008, the house was worth A$3 million and has subsequently undergone significant redevelopment. Ibrahim owns two other properties in the same street, purchased for A$2.5 million in 2007, one of which is leased to Kyle Sandilands, a radio and TV personality and business partner of Ibrahim's.

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 A$112,000 guarantee to his sister, Maha Seyour, in 1997 for her South Wentworthville home and acquiring a Merrylands property worth A$253,000 in 2004 for allegedly no-cost. Ibrahim has allegedly paid A$4 per week in legal fees for the services of an expert criminal defence barrister for his family. In his most recent public property purchase, in 2010 Ibrahim purchased a housing development site at Rothbury in the Hunter Valley for A$275,000.

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Wikipedia