Accused Sydney drug lords family ties to Olivia Newton-John
Accused Sydney drug lord Mostafa Baluch certainly has an interesting family tree, one which PS can reveal stretches all the way to Australiaâs own sweetheart of the ages, Olivia Newton-John.
Mostafa Baluchâs sister-in-law, Sydney fashion blogger Jerusha McGrath.Credit:Instagram
Yes, the pop star is the godmother of Baluchâs sister-in-law Jerusha McGrath, who ONJ has previously described as the âdaughter of my dearest friendâ, Manly real estate agent Jillian McGrath. So close is their relationship the singer, who received Japanâs highest civil honour the Order of the Rising Sun this week, travelled in 2010 to Sydney especially to open Jerushaâs âcoutureâ boutique in Neutral Bay, though it no longer appears to be trading, and the storeâs landline is disconnected.
The tight-knit Baluch clan have been in the news after Mostafa Baluch managed to evade police for more than two weeks before being found hiding in a Mercedes-Benz concealed inside a shipping container on a truck trying to cross the NSW border into Queensland early on Wednesday morning.
But until only recently he was not the most famous member of the Baluch tribe. That title belonging to his fashion blogging sister-in-law Jerusha, wife of his brother Will, the chef at the Baluch family restaurant Lucky & Pepâs pizzeria at Newport.
Until his dramatic arrest on Wednesday, Baluch had last been seen on the northern beaches on October 25, just days after he was granted bail under strict conditions, including a $4 million surety on his waterfront home at Bayview.
Mostafa Baluch, who had been on the run for more than two weeks, was arrested at the Queensland border. Credit:NSW Police/Supplied
He had been charged with a string of drug offences related to a 900 kilogram shipment of cocaine into Australia that had a street value of $270 million.
But it appears there is plenty of dough in the pizza business too if Jerushaâs exhaustive social media contributions (she has an eye-popping 174,000 followers on Instagram) are any gauge, like her collection of designer handbags, some worth $40,000 or more. She gushes about them on her YouTube channel, telling her followers all about the unforgettable experiences of walking into Sydneyâs âHermes boutique scared shitlessâ only to overcome her fear when she âunboxedâ the handbag after the exhilaration of paying for it.
Packerâs âfriendâ Julie rewardedThe name Julie Trethowan is not widely known around Sydney, and yet for many years she was among the most intimate confidantes of the most influential man in town: the late media mogul Kerry Packer.
Last week, it emerged the Elizabeth Bay penthouse in the elite Toft Monks building â" for decades renowned as Packerâs âprivate retreatâ â" is being sold by Trethowan. It was revealed after Packerâs death that Trethowan was not only Packerâs long-time employee, but also his mistress.
Julie Trethowan at her Whale Beach home in 2006.Credit:James Brickwood
The stunning property, an amalgamation of two apartments, is expected to fetch more than $25 million, which would bring Trethowanâs posthumous patronage from Packer to more than $40 million in total following their 20-year plus relationship.
Trethowanâs name cropped up in the weeks following Packerâs death on Boxing Day, 2005.
The Toft Monks building in Elizabeth Bay.Credit:Simon Alekna
At the time, the Heraldâs Kate McClymont reported that on November 24, a month before he died, Australian Securities and Investments Commission records showed Packer transferred his shares in Ledino â" one of his private investment vehicles â" to his âfriendâ and employee of more than two decades, Julie Trethowan. It was the last in a series of share transfers, starting more than a decade prior, which ASIC records showed resulted in property worth at least $10 million at the time passing to Trethowanâs control.
Trethowanâs portfolio included a beach house at Whale Beach â" where she still resides and which locals report recently underwent a lavish refurbishment â" an apartment in Edgecliff, commercial property in Bondi Junction and four properties within the exclusive Toft Monks building. Trethowan recently sold one of the smaller apartments in the block for a hefty profit; purchased in 1999 for $1.5 million, it fetched $3.25 million.
At the time of Packerâs death, Trethowan â" then 48 â" had been running the Packer-owned Hyde Park Club, a luxury health and fitness club in the basement of his Park Street headquarters, for 22 years.
Julie Trethowan at the Hyde Park Club in 1986.Credit:Doris Thomas
Packerâs estate was estimated to be worth $7 billion. The billionaire often retreated to the five-bedroom penthouse and sub-penthouse in Toft Monks. There he employed a chef, chauffeur, nurse and housekeeper to cater for his needs.
James and Kerry Packer in 1998.Credit:Peter Morris
In Damon Kitneyâs 2018 biography of James Packer, Kerry Packerâs old friend Alan Jones spilled the beans on Trethowanâs role within the Packer family even after Kerryâs death.
According to Jones, James Packer maintained a friendship with Trethowan. âJames actually incorporates her into his world. This is his way of saying, âWell, you could have poured shit all over us and youâve said nothingâ,â said Jones. The book also revealed Trethowan had visited James Packer in Aspen in recent years. âSheâs unheard of. She has never made a false move, ever, in any way that might prejudice Kerry, Ros or James,â Jones told Kitney.
He also recalled attending dinners with the late Packer and Trethowan at the Toft Monks apartment. âI would go thinking I was just having dinner with Kerry and Julie,â Jones said. âI always felt uncomfortable that James was there.â
Big botherIt was the television show that revolutionised much of the programming we still watch today but, after 20 years, has franchise fatigue finally caught up with Big Brother?
Given the ratings for the latest iteration of the show, Big Brother VIP â" now screened on Seven after having spent time on all three of Australiaâs commercial TV networks â" it seems unclear what the future holds for the big-budget concept.
The cast of the latest iteration in the Big Brother franchise: Big Brother VIP.Credit:Nigel Wright
Average audiences across the five capital cities have hovered between 363,000 and 380,000 for its broadcasts, around half the timeslot-winning numbers Big Brother once generated in its heyday, coming in as the third- and fourth-most popular show.
But TV viewing has changed dramatically since Big Brother launched. Much of its audience now â" around 40 per cent more â" is gained through catch-up streaming, which is dominated by the key under-25 audience the show targets.
However, this raises the question of why such a collection of older celebrities were used for the series given the reported astronomical fees paid for big-name stars â" namely Caitlyn Jenner, Thomas Markle jnr and former Donald Trump aide Omarosa Manigault Newman â" with estimates putting the total sum at $700,000. It hardly seems a good return on the investment.
Cup COVID case causes chaosParentsâ WhatsApp groups have gone into meltdown as the fallout spreads from a COVID-19 case at a Melbourne Cup luncheon at Bondi Beachâs Pacific Club.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard providing a COVID-19 update in October with Premier Dominic Perrottet.Credit:Rhett Wyman
PS hears the case resulted in many mothers of students at several of the cityâs most elite schools going into isolation, along with their families, resulting in some of their children being unable to sit for HSC exams.
Among the school communities caught up in the drama were those at Ascham, Scots College and Cranbrook.
Meanwhile, those having withdrawals from the 11am COVID-19 press conferences can pay $750 to have lunch and listen to Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Monday.
But it is unclear just how much demand there has been for the Liberal Party fundraiser given organisers were still emailing potential guests this week trying to drum up sales. Given the hefty price tag and the parlous state of many peopleâs post-COVID finances, PS is hardly surprised.
Beck on deck for HobartWhile thereâs been a ripple of excitement around the Cruising Yacht Club with news Rich Lister and yachtie Christian Beck has entered his supermaxi SYD1000 in this yearâs Sydney to Hobart, thereâs also been much chatter over his recent purchase of four other, slightly smaller, racing yachts to the tune of $1 million.
Christian Beck on his supermaxi which won line honours in the Sydney To Hobart in 2016 when called Perpetual Loyal.Credit:Daniel Munoz
By the deadline, a fleet of 112 boats were confirmed for the 2021 race, with Beck being joined in the supermaxi stakes by Peter Harburgâs Black Jack and Seng Huang Leeâs Scallywag. Beckâs SYD1000 was formerly Anthony Bellâs 2016 line-honours winning Perpetual Loyal.
Beck isnât the only big boy dropping big dollars on toys in Sydney. Fashionista Nick Kelly, the founder of the Industrie menswear chain, has been spotted driving a seriously impressive looking vintage Ferrari around town.
The wheels look a lot like a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder â" just like the one in â80s cult teen film Ferris Buellerâs Day Off which Kelly is probably old enough to remember. However, PS canât be sure if itâs the real McCoy because Kelly is too shy to talk about it.
The vintage Ferrari Spyder drawing attention around Sydney.
Apparently he has quite a collection of Ferraris, though if it is a Spyder, itâs worth millions. Even the fakes, known as ârevivalâ versions of the original, can set one back a sum well into the six figures.
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