ICAC finds three former councillors corrupt over Hurstville developments
0#icac #corruption #VincenzoBadalati #PhilipSansom
The state's anti-corruption watchdog found that Sydney's three former local councilors were involved in corruption by accepting cash and gifts from a Chinese real estate developer. Highlights Three former Hurstville councilors identified by NSW watchdog as corrupt Three former Hurstville councilors became involved in corruption when NSW watchdog Vicenzo Badalati, Constantine Hindi and Philip Samson accepted payments from property developers. Vicenzo Badalati, Constantine Hindi and Philip Samson accepted payments from real estate developers.The guys then voted on the improvement proposals without declaring any conflict of interest. It turned out that Vincenzo Badalati, Constantine Hindi, and Philip Sansom were accepting cash and gifts in exchange for favorable treatment rather than property offers. All three councilors served on Hurstville Council before merging with Kogarah Council in 2016 to form the Georges River Council. The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption also recommended that the Chief Prosecutor consider his legal options. In its final report, it writes, "The Commission is of view that taking DPP's advice should be considered" regarding prosecution of three councilors, another person, and developer. ICAC found that Vincenzo Badalati, along with Mr. Hindi, accepted more than $150,000 from a developer. ICAC said it found that Mr Badalati and Mr Hindi accepted approximately $170,000 from developer Ching Wah Uy in rewards of positive treatment for two proposed projects in Hurstville. Payments related to Landmark Square Treacy Street projects. ICAC found that three councilors subsequently voted in favor of applications for development proposals and declared no conflicts of interest. This included Mr. Hindi's failure to disclose his financial interest in the Landmark Square planning proposal over his wife's interest in the project. ICAC said the real estate agent will make $500,000 from this development. In addition, ICAC wrote that "between 2007 2018, Mr. Badalati and Mr. Sansom regularly traveled to China Hong Kong". It was thought that the wife of Hurstville's former Mayor, Constantine Hindi, had financially benefited from the planning proposals. "Sometimes they went on trips several times a year, and those trips usually lasted for about a week. Travel records show that they traveled sometimes together, sometimes alone." ICAC found that they made these trips despite knowing that their public servant status would be abused to support and support property development projects. Evidence of hiring escorts was also recorded during the period known as "men's weekends". "The Commission found two videos on Uy's mobile phone, both shot in 2013 by Uy, showing Badalati and Sansom with young women," the ICAC report said.he wrote. It was not specified who paid the escorts for their services. The corruption watchdog also found that Mr. Sansom was involved in serious acts of corruption by accepting payment for return flights for a trip he and