From a $1million marble staircase in his Sydney mansion to a solitary jail cell 'with a $250,000 bounty on his head': How Salim Mehajer's life fell into a rapid downward spiral after his lavish 'wedding of the century'
- Salim Mehajer shot to public prominence by staging a huge wedding in Sydney
- The then-deputy mayor was fined for illegally closing down the residential street
- He also made headlines for the $1million marble staircase in his Lidcombe home
- Since the wedding his life unraveled and has been in and out of court ever since
- He was convicted for assaulting taxi driver and journalist and breaching an AVO
- His marriage to Aysha Learmonth broke down and he sent her vile abusive video
- Earlier this year he was declared bankrupt, on Friday sentenced to 11-months' jail
Standing at the top of his $1million marble staircase, flamboyant property developer and politician Salim Mehajer had his sights set on becoming prime minister.
Instead Mehajer's life dramatically imploded, with a series of almost-monthly dramas over the past three years culminating in a lengthy jail sentence.
The disgraced former deputy mayor of Auburn was jailed on Friday for 21 months over 77 cases of electoral fraud relating to the 2012 local NSW Government election.
To avoid bounty hunters taking advantage of a supposed $250,000 price tag on his head, he will likely be kept in protective custody at Sydney's Silverwater Prison, it was reported on Friday night.
Standing at the top of his $1million marble staircase, flamboyant property developer and politician Salim Mehajer had his sights set on becoming Prime Minister (pictured are Mehajer and his estranged wife at their wedding)
Instead Mehajer's life dramatically imploded, with a series of almost-monthly dramas over the past three years ending with him being led out of court in handcuffs (pictured is the marble staircase)
The disgraced former deputy mayor of Auburn in Sydney's west skyrocketed to fame after a shutting down a residential street for his lavish 'wedding of the century'
The stunning downward spiral began shortly after he skyrocketed to fame when he shut down a residential street for his lavish 'wedding of the century'.
US rapper Bow Wow filmed a music video in his Lidcombe mansion, and he held a press conference next to wife Aysha announcing his political ambitions to the world.
But behind the scenes the 32-year-old's life was already unravelling, with one of his firms put into liquidation while his court appearances multiplied.
Outrage over the ostentatious wedding - featuring a fighter jet, four helicopters, a fleet of sports cars and a sea plane - led to Mehajer being fined for closing the street.
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A petition was then launched calling for Mehajer to be sacked, and before long his election to Auburn City Council was under the microscope.
Within two months Mehajer was being pursued by furious contractors, including the stonemason who built the now-infamous staircase, over alleged unpaid debts.
Amid the turmoil Mehajer was re-elected as deputy mayor, and held a bizarre press conference in which he said he wanted the 'top spot' in federal politics.
Mehajer's brushes with the law continued, being pulled over twice in half-an-hour while at the wheel of an allegedly unregistered Ferrari two months after the wedding.
A month later in November 2015, Mehajer made headlines again, accused of intimidating the father of a Lindt Cafe siege survivor.
US rapper Bow Wow filmed a music video in his Lidcombe mansion, and he held a press conference next to wife Aysha announcing his political ambitions to the world (pictured are Mehajer and his estranged wife at their wedding)
But behind the scenes the 32-year-old's life was already unravelling, with one of his firms put into liquidation while his court appearances multiplied (pictured are Mehajer and his estranged wife at their wedding)
From there Mehajer's fortunes went from bad to worse, with the Australian Federal Police opening an investigation into his 2012 election.
The probe involved Australian Electoral Commission forms containing false information, and led to Mehajer's imprisonment less than three years later.
A month after the AFP investigation began, Mehajer was suspended from office after he was found to have failed to disclose financial interests in a property he voted on.
In July 2016 Mehajer was again the subject of a police investigation, this time over the alleged transfer of $20million to Lebanon.
Outrage over the ostentatious wedding - featuring a fighter jet, four helicopters, a fleet of sports cars and a sea plane - led to Mehajer (pictured with girlfriend Melissa Tysoe) being fined for closing the street
A petition was then launched calling for Mehajer to be sacked, and before long his election to Auburn City Council was under the microscope (pictured is the Mehajer wedding)
Within two months Mehajer was being pursued by furious contractors, including the stonemason who built the now-infamous staircase, over alleged unpaid debts (pictured is the Mehajer wedding)
Amid the turmoil Mehajer was re-elected as deputy mayor, and held a bizarre press conference in which he said he wanted the 'top spot' in federal politics (pictured is the Mehajer wedding)
Then in September, just over a year after the wedding, Mehajer lost an appeal against his three-year ban from managing corporations.
By this time his marriage to Aysha Learmonth had already broken down, and by July 2016 she had taken an Apprehended Violence Order out against him.
A month after the AVO came into effect Mehajer was seen on video ranting in English and Arabic and threatening to rape the parents of his estranged wife.
In November Mehajer was again caught on film, this time on the holiday island of Ibiza, being arrested after a clash with a taxi driver.
Mehajer has gone from living in a mansion in Lidcombe to a jail sell after being convicted of electoral fraud
Mehajer's (pictured) brushes with the law continued, being pulled over twice in half-an-hour while at the wheel of an allegedly unregistered Ferrari two months after the wedding
Following that arrest Mehajer managed to stay out of the courts for months, only to be arrested over an altercation with a taxi driver at Sydney's Star casino in April 2017.
Mehajer later pleaded guilty to assault for throwing an EFTPOS machine at the driver and destroying a woman's iPhone.
He was also found guilty of assault for slamming Channel Seven reporter Laura Banks' hand in a car door, but in May this year announced he would appeal both convictions.
Later in 2017 Mehajer was accused of staging a car crash while on the way to court, and arrested and charged with breaching an AVO taken out by his estranged wife.
A month later in November 2015, Mehajer made headlines again, accused of intimidating the father of a Lindt Cafe siege survivor (pictured is Mehajer's watch collection)
Later in 2017 Mehajer was accused of staging a car crash while on the way to court, and arrested and charged with breaching an AVO taken out by his estranged wife (pictured is the crash)
In February 2018 he was given a three-year good behaviour bond over the April 2017 assaults, and in March was declared bankrupt.
Last month he was convicted again, this time for intimidating Aysha, and was slapped with an 18-month good behaviour bond.
On Friday Mehajer was sentenced to 11 months' jail after being found guilty of 77 electoral fraud charges.
They related to a joint criminal enterprise with his sister Fatima - who was given a two-month good behaviour bond - to influence the 2012 Auburn City Council vote.
On Friday Mehajer (pictured) was sentenced to 11 months' jail after being found guilty of 77 electoral fraud charges
Who is Salim Mehajer?
Former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has never been far from controversy
2009: Mehajer is convicted of possessing or attempting to possess a 'prescribed restricted substance' and of possessing a police uniform. The convictions are later overturned on appeal.
March 2011: Mehajer unsuccessfully runs as an independent member of the Legislative Assembly for Auburn at the NSW state election.
He is subsequently investigated by the Election Funding Authority of New South Wales, which did not take any action against him.
January 2012: Mehajer loses control of his $300,000 Ferrari and injures a mother and daughter in Sydney's west.
He is convicted of negligent driving and sentenced to 150 hours community service. The conviction is later overturned on appeal.
September 2012: Mehajer is elected as an independent councillor for the City of Auburn and later elected to deputy mayor.
February 2013: His construction firm SM Project Developments is forced into liquidation by the ATO over unpaid taxes.
February 2014: A property owned by Mehajer in Lidcombe is damaged by a suspicious fire.
June 2014: He is suspended from civic office for a month by the Division of Local Government for failing to disclose his business and property interests.
The punishment is overturned in December.
August 2015: The then deputy mayor of Auburn marries his partner Aysha in the so-called 'wedding of the century'.
Mehajer is fined $220 by Auburn council over the closure of Frances Street, Lidcombe. A petition is launched to have him sacked over the wedding.
October 2015: Several contractors launch legal action over allegedly unpaid debts, including a stonemason who installed a staircase at his Lidcombe home.
The same month, he is pulled over twice in less than half-an-hour behind the wheel of an allegedly unregistered Ferrari.
September 2015: Mehajer is re-elected as deputy mayor of Auburn, despite the petition demanding his sacking.
October 2015: He reveals that he hopes to one day work his way to 'the top spot' in federal politics.
November 2015: Mehajer announces he wants to study medicine and become a mental health specialist - as he tells fellow councillors he had stood down as director from six of his seven development companies.
The same month, he is forced to defend allegations he intimidated the father of a Lindt Cafe siege survivor.
December 2015: The Australian Federal Police investigate Mehajer over allegations he forged documents to rig the 2012 Auburn City Council election.
January 2016: He is suspended from civic office for four months for failing to disclose his financial interest in a property.
It was found he voted on changes which added $1million to its value.
July 2016: Mehajer is reportedly investigated by police after he allegedly transferred $20million to Lebanon.
The same month, he is told he must stay at least 50 metres away from his wife Aysha until at least 17 August after police took out an AVO on her behalf.
August 2016: Mehajer refuses to reveal who videos allegedly containing threats of sexual abuse and death threats - made by him - were intended for.
September 2016: He is banned from managing corporations for three years after losing an appeal against a ruling made by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
November 2016: Mehajer is publicly arrested by local police in the Spanish party island of Ibiza after an argument with a taxi driver.
April 2017: Mehajer is arrested and charged after assaulting a taxi driver outside The Star casino in Sydney.
Just hours later, he is charged with assault after slamming Channel Seven reporter Laura Banks' hand in a car door.
June 2017: Mehajer's sister Fatima pleads guilty to 77 charges of electoral fraud relating to the 2012 Auburn City Council election.
The same month, his property development companies, Sydney Project Group and SET Services, are placed in the hands of administrators.
September 2017: Mehajer is accused of manipulating the courts over the approval of his plans for a western Sydney shopping mall and apartment block.
October 2017: He is hit with a $1million bill after allegedly failing to pay for work on his Lidcombe 'marble palace' home.
The same month, Mehajer is rushed to hospital after being involved in a car crash on his way to a court hearing over the taxi driver incident.
Also in October, a phone recording is leaked in which Mehajer allegedly threatens to rape a custom car mechanic.
November 2017: Police raid the Mehajer's home as part of an investigation into the alleged staging of the car crash on the way to court.
Mehajer is arrested and charged with breaching an AVO preventing him from seeing his estranged wife Aysha Learmonth.
February 2018: Mehajer is found guilty of assaulting female TV reporter Laura Banks with a car door outside a Sydney police station last year.
He is also handed a three-year good behaviour bond and ordered to undergo anger management counselling after pleading guilty over the taxi driver assault.
March 20, 2018: Mehajer is declared bankrupt by a Federal Circuit Court judge after one of his companies failed to pay a debt of over $200,000 to its creditors.
May 17, 2018: Mehajer is given an 18-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to intimidating his estranged wife.
June 22, 2018: Mehajer is ordered to serve 11 months behind bars for electoral fraud. His sister Fatima is given a two-month suspended sentence.
May 17, 2019: Mehajer is charged after allegedly falsely putting speeding tickets he received in 2016 into the names of other people
May 21, 2019: The property developer walks free from Cooma Prison after 11 months behind bars
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