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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/03/salim-mehajer-found-guilty-fraud-offences-former-deputy-mayor-auburn-council-sydney
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| Former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer found guilty of fraud offences after forging signatures | Former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer found guilty of fraud offences after forging signatures |
| (7 days later) | |
| Ex-Auburn councillor found guilty in Sydney court of four counts of making or using false documents to obtain financial advantage | Ex-Auburn councillor found guilty in Sydney court of four counts of making or using false documents to obtain financial advantage |
| A bankrupt former deputy mayor of a Sydney council has been found guilty of fraud offences after forging the signatures of his ex-lawyer and sister. | A bankrupt former deputy mayor of a Sydney council has been found guilty of fraud offences after forging the signatures of his ex-lawyer and sister. |
| Salim Mehajer, 37, forged his former solicitor Zali Burrows’ signature on two separate documents, one of which claimed to witness a statutory declaration from his sister Zenha Osman, whose signature he also forged, a New South Wales district court jury decided after deliberating for just over four hours. | Salim Mehajer, 37, forged his former solicitor Zali Burrows’ signature on two separate documents, one of which claimed to witness a statutory declaration from his sister Zenha Osman, whose signature he also forged, a New South Wales district court jury decided after deliberating for just over four hours. |
| Mehajer was found guilty of four counts of making or using false documents to obtain a financial advantage on Friday. | Mehajer was found guilty of four counts of making or using false documents to obtain a financial advantage on Friday. |
| The former deputy mayor of the since-merged Auburn council in Sydney’s west rose to notoriety when his lavish wedding celebrations shut down a street in 2015. | The former deputy mayor of the since-merged Auburn council in Sydney’s west rose to notoriety when his lavish wedding celebrations shut down a street in 2015. |
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| Mehajer forged Burrows’ signature witnessing his own on an affidavit seeking to replace a court-appointed bankruptcy administrator in March 2020. | Mehajer forged Burrows’ signature witnessing his own on an affidavit seeking to replace a court-appointed bankruptcy administrator in March 2020. |
| He forged her signature again to witness a statutory declaration purporting to be from Osman, claiming $6530 cash seized by police from Mehajer’s Kirribilli home belonged to her. | He forged her signature again to witness a statutory declaration purporting to be from Osman, claiming $6530 cash seized by police from Mehajer’s Kirribilli home belonged to her. |
| Osman and Burrows told the court they did not sign the documents, while Mehajer argued he arranged with a third party to have them signed and submitted them believing they genuinely had been. | Osman and Burrows told the court they did not sign the documents, while Mehajer argued he arranged with a third party to have them signed and submitted them believing they genuinely had been. |
| Mehajer was also found guilty of domestic violence offences earlier this year. | Mehajer was also found guilty of domestic violence offences earlier this year. |
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| He is in custody on other matters and awaits sentencing in August. | He is in custody on other matters and awaits sentencing in August. |