Former Double Bay real estate agent Ryan Watsford remains behind bars after he was arrested on Tuesday and charged with multiple offences relating to tobacco importation and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Mr Watsford, 37, was one of a string of people arrested in a massive sweep by Federal Police investigating international drug importations, illegal tobacco importations and money laundering.
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Two brothers of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim, Michael Ibrahim and Fadi Ibrahim, are arrested in Dubai as police smash an alleged long-running organised crime syndicate. Vision courtesy Seven News Melbourne.
Also arrested were his close associates, brothers Mick and Fadi Ibrahim who were detained in Dubai, and their nephew Dan Ibrahim, 26, who was arrested in Sydney.
Mr Watsford and his Maserati car have been a familiar sight to many in the Eastern Suburbs since, whether it was having coffee with Moses Obeid near Watsford's Rose Bay home or seen in the company of his mate, John Ibrahim.
However, the Maserati has been repossessed after Mr Watsford defaulted on a loan with the once-jailed businessman Rodney Adler.
Mr Adler's CBD office was raided on Tuesday in connection with the Watsford Maserati loan. Mr Adler has not been charged.
Business documents reveal that Mr Watsford is currently in a food business with Michelle Meissner, the wife of convicted criminal Ladislaus "Joe" Meissner of the infamous Love Boat scandal.
Also in Aussie Gold Premium Foods business are members of the family of jailed Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid. Their interest is held via Calvin Holdings, which was revealed at a corruption hearing to be a trustee for the Obeid family.
Mr Watsford was at the top of his game three years ago: the boom property market of 2014 was just kicking off for spring and he held the keys to one of Sydney's best trophy listings.
Barford, the Bellevue Hill estate of businessman Ian Joye, carried a $60 million-plus price tag at the time that would have smashed all previous house sale records. And according to Mr Watsford, he had two buyers circling it, one from Asia and one from Britain.
Things looked good for both Mr Watsford and Sydney's trophy home market, but while things have gone from strength to strength in real estate values, the same cannot be said for Mr Watsford.
Barford never did sell, although Sydney's housing record has been smashed twice in that time, most recently at $71 million for the Point Piper estate Elaine.
The former Cranbrook boy told Fairfax Media in 2015 he was taking a break from the real estate industry, and true to his word there have been few sales to his name since then.
According to his Facebook page, in recent years Mr Watsford has posted nothing about his real estate sales. Instead his Facebook feed is devoted almost entirely to his exploits with members of the Ibrahim family.
There are the trips to Las Vegas with nightclub boss-turned property mogul John Ibrahim, who has not been charged in relation to the recent events.
There are also photos toasting Mick Ibrahim's engagement and drinking vodka with convicted ecstasy dealer Simon Main.
Mr Watsford and his association with the Ibrahims' goes back to at least 2011 when the budding real estate agent acted as a referee for Nimilote Ngata, the son of Mr Ibrahim's bodyguard Semi "Tongan Sam" Ngata.
Ngata jnr later pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm over a dispute over a residential car space in Woolloomooloo during which a man was punched by Ngata while his arms were held behind his back.
And when John Ibrahim's macaw flew away in 2013, it was Mr Watsford's name and phone number which appeared on posters offering a $2000 reward for the macaw's safe return.
Mr Watsford's bail hearing is due to be heard on Thursday.