ICAC Council corruption investigation Galley Hurstville Georges River watch video extorting escorts

A Chinese property developer secretly videotaped local Australian councilors holding hands with escorts during a ‘boy’ weekend trip to China, a corruption investigation has revealed. were heard.

Senior sex workers were caught on camera with middle-aged, balding men, sitting in Hurstville/Georges River Council in Sydney’s south-west, in a sleazy necktie.

The young women, in short and tight dresses, were seen leading former mayor Vincenzo Badalati and councilor Philip Sansom hand in hand and dined together.

Mr Badalati has now admitted the germy video was made as part of an extortion plot that is now in the sights of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption.

A Chinese property developer secretly videotaped Sydney councilors as he took them with his escorts on luxury ‘boys weekend’ tours to China , a corruption investigation was heard

High-profile sex workers were caught on camera as they cuddled up with balding middle-aged men before being caught taking them by the hand

ICAC is investigating allegations of alleged re-approval of the plan at the Hurstville/Georges River Council, with Mayor Badalati, councilor Sansom and former deputy mayor Constantine Hindi allegedly taking bribes to assist developments from 2014 to 2021.

Clifton Wong, 62, was found dead in his office after giving testimony about alleged corruption at Sydney’s Hurstville Council

The investigation was rocked by the apparent suicide earlier this month of one of the councilmembers called to testify.

Clifton Wong, 62, was found dead in his Sydney office on July 6, eight days after telling the inquest he failed to report an alleged developer slipped $10,000. la for the former deputy mayor of Hindi.

Property developer Ching Wah Uy, known as Phillip Uy, is behind plans to build a $128 million Landmark One hotel, retail and residential complex and a 44 million apartment tower USD in Hurstville.

The inquest had previously heard that the developer would regularly send councilors to China for ‘boys weekends’, and Mr Uy often took the bill.

However, he surreptitiously took video of the councilors with their escorts and paid them as part of an extortion plot, Mr. Badalati told the investigation.

The ICAC investigation heard Phillip Uy and councilor Philip Sansom connected with escorts on multiple trips to China in 2014 and 2015

Property developer Ching Wah Uy, known as Phillip Uy, is behind plans to build the $128 million Landmark One hotel, retail and residential complex (pictured) and an apartment tower $29 million household in Hurstville

On Tuesday, explosive video footage was shown of Sansom and Badalati having dinner with their escorts and and the couple holding hands with them.

The developer can be briefly seen in a mirror image pretending to make a call on his phone as he secretly records councilors with young women.

The former mayor of Hurstville admits the woman he was caught on camera was an accomplice but he has not yet paid for her services and believes Uy has.

“Having seen this and another video, I believe it’s a blackmail tool,” he told ICAC after he was confronted with clips from March 2013 and again in July 2013.

‘That is clear to me now.’

Former Mayor Vincenzo Badalati (centre) admits the woman he was caught on camera was an accomplice but he has not yet paid for her services and believes developer Phillip Uy (left) has yes.

Vincenzo Badalati allegedly received $70,000 to support the 75-unit apartment complex and then he and the deputy mayor of Hindi were reportedly each given $100,000 to support Landmark One development

Former Hurstville mayor Vincenzo Badalati admits the woman he was caught on camera was an accomplice

He said he believed the footage was filmed against him and forced him to back off from Mr. Uy’s plans to approve developments.

‘If this was shown to your family at the time, would you be embarrassed?’ Committee Support Advisor Zelie Heger asked him.

He said he would but admitted that Mr. Uy was not blackmailing him and that he had only seen the footage for the first time at the investigation.

On Monday, the ICAC investigation said Uy and councilor Sansom also connected with escorts on multiple trips to China in 2014 and 2015.

Receipts given to the investigation show Uy spent thousands of flights and hotel accommodation on Mr. Sansom, who claimed he had reimbursed some of the flight costs.

When Ms Heger said it was a ‘significant conflict of interest’, he admitted he should have claimed he had a ‘non-monetary interest’.

Phillip Uy admitted to taking a photo of around $300,000 in cash placed on an iron in his Rhodes apartment in Sydney

Mr Badalati has admitted to receiving a bribe of US$170,000 from Mr Uy to assist in approving plans for two of his development projects in 2016, despite objections from council staff.

Phillip Uy denies giving bribes and says he is giving money to Hong Kong

He is said to have received $70,000 to support the 75-unit apartment complex and he and the Hindi deputy mayor are said to have each been given $100,000 to support the Landmark One development.

‘[Mr Uy] opened his boots and gave us two bags each [and said] “Thank you for your support on Landmark,” Mr Badalati told the inquest in June.

Mr. Uy denied offering bribes but admitted to taking a photo of about $300,000 in cash placed on an iron in his Rhodes apartment in Sydney.

He said he withdrew the money to take it back to Hong Kong with him.

The investigation continues.