ICAC hears Liberal operative was offered $1,000 to place unsubstantiated minister affair rumour
The Independent Commission Against Corruption heard that a lawyer for fugitive property developer Jean Nassif offered Liberal operative Sharangan Maheswaran $1,000 to persuade media to report an unsubstantiated rumour involving then-New South Wales minister David Elliott. Maheswaran said a message making the offer was “not a serious offer,” despite also writing that he was “not joking.”
The Independent Commission Against Corruption heard that a lawyer for fugitive property developer Jean Nassif offered Liberal operative Sharangan Maheswaran $1,000 if he could persuade media to publish claims about an alleged extramarital affair involving then-New South Wales minister David Elliott and an alleged breach of Covid-19 restrictions.
Maheswaran said the message to lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood was “not a serious offer”. He was shown a message in which he wrote that he was “not joking”. The rumour was described in the hearing as unsubstantiated.
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
What prompted the offer to seek media coverage of the rumour?
What evidence, if any, was presented to support the claims about the minister?
How did the proposed payment affect the credibility of the information being circulated?
What response did the media outlets approached give to the proposed story?
YOUR QUESTION
Does this story leave you with another question?
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GLOBAL CURIOSITY MAP · AUGUST 2026