The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-09-29 · by Alexandra Smith, Jessica McSweeney
Jean Nassif’s development company, Toplace, paid $134,000 to a private investigator for surveilling Strathfield’s former mayor. Sharangan Maheswaran, who worked as both the lawyer and a Labor councillor for Toplace, convinced Nassif’s daughter Ashlyn that the company should cover this expense due to its connection to his own legal liabilities with the company. The Independent Commission Against Corruption is now investigating whether Maheswaran and another councillor engaged in illegal surveillance activities while pressuring the mayor to resign.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-29,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is investigating allegations that Sharangan Maheswaran, a lawyer for development company Toplace and former Labor councillor in Strathfield, convinced Toplace to pay $134,000 to private investigator Shane De Kauwe for surveillance of the former mayor Matthew Blackmore. The ICAC inquiry, part of Operation Rosny, is examining whether Maheswaran and fellow Labor councillor Karen Pensabene engaged in blackmail or other illegal activities while trying to force Blackmore’s resignation as mayor. Despite describing it as a "personal matter," Maheswaran claimed the surveillance had a “tangential” connection to Toplace because he believed someone was targeting him due to his association with disgraced developer Jean Nassif. The corruption watchdog is near completing its hearings, expected on Tuesday, focusing on the legality of these actions and their implications under New South Wales law.
Written for “Nassif Spy Controversy” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
A private investigator invoiced Jean Nassif’s development company $134,000 for surveillance of the former Strathfield mayor, with then-Labor councillor Sharangan Maheswaran convincing Toplace to pay the bill.
asserted
Maheswaran → invoice → bill
Maheswaran, who was also the lawyer for Toplace, said the surveillance work had a “tangential” connection to Nassif because then-mayor Matthew Blackmore had “linked up” with another individual who Maheswaran believed was targeting him because of his connection to the disgraced developer.
asserted
Maheswaran → say → developer
The Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating whether Maheswaran and his fellow Labor councillor Karen Pensabene engaged in blackmail and/or offences under the Surveillance Devices Act while waging a pressure campaign to force Blackmore to resign as mayor.
asserted
Maheswaran → investigate → mayor
The commission heard on Tuesday Nassif’s daughter Ashlyn raised the payment to private investigator Shane De Kauwe as a personal expense for Maheswaran to cover but he convinced her Toplace should pay the invoices because he was already owed money.
asserted
he → hear → money
“I believe that Toplace paid it on the basis that I was insisting that I need to get this paid, and I will offset it against other liabilities you owe me because I regard the targeting of me by this individual to be linked to Toplace Pty Ltd,” Maheswaran said.
asserted
Maheswaran → believe → Ltd
Maheswaran told the commission he only became aware De Kauwe was making covert audio recordings after the lawyer was provided with highly detailed notes.
asserted
lawyer → tell → notes
He said when he asked De Kauwe to explain something in his surveillance notes, the private investigator said he would “go back and check”.
asserted
he → say → notes
“That’s when it became apparent that he’d taken a recording.
asserted
he → ’ → recording
Now, Mr De Kauwe also said to me that he might record if there was obvious criminality involved and he said he was entitled to do so,” Maheswaran said.
uncertain
Maheswaran → say → me
Maheswaran told the commission he then sought legal advice for himself about the legality of making these recordings, which he passed on to De Kauwe.
asserted
he → tell → Kauwe
He has been ordered to provide that advice to the commission.
asserted
He → order → commission
However, last week De Kauwe told the commission he only began to make audio recordings of Blackmore after receiving legal advice from Maheswaran, and his understanding was if he suspected criminality, he could record the conversation.
uncertain
he → tell → conversation
Maheswaran also offered to “stir up” Blackmore to try and capture damaging comments on a covert audio recording, the ICAC has heard.
asserted
ICAC → offer → recording
De Kauwe texted Maheswaran to let him know Blackmore was at a cafe.
asserted
Blackmore → texte → cafe
“Have you got a good audio on him?
asserted
you → get → him
If so I’ll stir him up,” Maheswaran said.
asserted
Maheswaran → stir → him
Maheswaran told the commission he thought he could prompt Blackmore into talking about council-related matters, and “things I thought he was orchestrating on the council at that point”.
uncertain
he → tell → point
Maheswaran later texted Pensabene that he thought Blackmore realised he was “being watched”.
asserted
he → texte → Pensabene
“Did we get caught?” Pensabene asked.
asserted
Pensabene → catch → ?
“Nah, but he was highly suss,” Maheswaran replied.
asserted
Maheswaran → reply → ?
Maheswaran told the ICAC that Pensabene was aware of the surveillance but may not have been aware of the covert recordings.
uncertain
Pensabene → tell → recordings
Sydney’s best coverage of the ICAC inquiry
- Analysis: Crazy and crazier: ICAC unravels Jean Nassif’s paranoia, writes Kate McClymont
- Analysis:
asserted
McClymont → unravel → paranoia
Inside a grubby political blackmail plot that backfired spectacularly, writes Bevan Shields
- News:
asserted
News → backfire → plot
Shakedown claims against Nassif ‘weaponised’ to damage building commissioner:
uncertain
claims → weaponise → commissioner
Beyond Jean Nassif, the murky dealings of Strathfield Council are aired at the long-running inquiry, writes Kate McClymont
asserted
McClymont → air → inquiry
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