A former state government official is believed to be on the run after failing to appear at an Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry – and is suspected of pocketing about $11.5million.
The alleged rigging and inflation of contracts by Transport for NSW procurement officer Ibrahim Helmy between 2012 and 2024 has come under the microscope of the NSW ICAC.
Police on Monday issued an outstanding arrest warrant for Helmy, 38, after he failed to appear before an inquiry by the corruption watchdog.
A family member told ICAC that he ‘took the rubbish out on a Sunday night and did not return’.
Helmy is known to frequent the Merrylands and Guildford areas in Sydney’s west. He is described as being Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, 175cm tall, medium build and has black hair.
‘Anyone who sees him is urged not to approach him but to call triple zero,’ a police statement read.
Helmy is suspected to have received more than $11.5 million from the alleged scheme, which involved contracts worth more than $343 million.
Cash stuffed in envelopes, cryptocurrency transfers that Helmy allegedly coached people through and nuggets of gold bullion were among payments, senior barrister assisting the ICAC Rob Ranken SC told the inquiry on Monday.
Helmy has been wanted since May after failing to appear before the NSW Crime Commission.
The commission held his n passport when Helmy was detected at Sydney Airport awaiting a flight to China in September 2024.
He allegedly made unsuccessful attempts to flee overseas after becoming aware that he was the central figure of an ICAC investigation.
Computers and storage devices were seized along with a US passport from his Merrylands home, before Helmy was bailed on strict conditions.
But he failed to return from putting the bins out one Sunday night according to his family, who have not reported him missing, Mr Ranken told the inquiry.
Helmy is believed to still be in NSW and is suspected of receiving assistance to avoid apprehension.
‘We believe he remains in the jurisdiction and that individuals have been collaborating to conceal his whereabouts. Active steps are being taken to locate him,’ Mr Ranken said.
‘We suspect it is only a matter of time before he is located and we urge him to come forward of his own volition.’
The inquiry is expected to hear from managers and directors of companies Helmy allegedly helped receive lucrative government work.
A number of other transport officials are also subject to the inquiry, with hopes it can make recommendations to improve the department’s policies and processes.
Public hearings into Operation Wyvern being presided over by ICAC chief commissioner John Hatzistergos are expected to continue for six weeks.
The investigation led to raids on the head office of Protection Barriers, one of the state’s biggest roadworks companies, in September.
The business secured significant deals worth more than $110 million from Transport for NSW for road safety work.
Luxury cars were seized from the company’s headquarters in northern NSW, before the firm fell into voluntary administration in March.
Company founder Jason Chellew told the inquiry Helmy had proposed inflating contracts and splitting the increase.
‘We were worried that if we said no, we would have got no work,’ Mr Chellew said.
The inquiry also expects to hear from Peco and Saso Jankulovski, directors of Complete Linemarking Services, later in the week.
Mr Ranken noted it is only Transport for NSW’s latest corruption cloud.
‘This is the fourth public inquiry into corruption in procurement processes at Transport for NSW since 2019,’ he said on Monday.
Past inquiries found department officials had manipulated procurements and contracts for corrupt benefits and the current inquiry is expected to reveal similar conduct, Mr Ranken added.