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Salim Mehajer Charged For Alleged Threats Against Sydney Siege Survivor's Father

Salim Mehajer Charged For Allegedly Threatening Sydney Siege Survivor's Father

Salim Mehajer, the controversial deputy mayor of Auburn, has been charged by police after allegedly threatening the father of Lindt cafe survivor Joel Herat.

Mehajer captured the world's attention with a ridiculously lavish wedding ceremony in August -- including a $50 million phalanx of white Ferraris and Lamborghinis, a fleet of helicopters, a squad of motorcycles, a Kim and Kanye-style wall of flowers and unilateral street closures -- and recently announced his desire to become Prime Minister.

Police on Thursday charged Mehajer after he allegedly intimidated Bruce Herat and threatened to kidnap his children. Joel Herat, his son, escaped the Lindt cafe siege after bursting through a door with several other hostages.

Bruce Herat, who works at a gym in Burwood, was said to have asked Mehajer to stop dropping weights on the floor. The Daily Telegraph reported Mehajer cornered Herat after he left the gym.

“Don’t you know who I am,” Mehajer allegedly said.

"I’m going to find out where you live and have your kids kidnapped.”

The Sydney Morning Herald reports "police confirmed they had issued a court attendance notice for the offence of intimidation," and that he was "been served with a personal violence order and will appear in court later this month over intimidation charges."

In a statement following the alleged incident, Mehajer denied the claims and said he planned to counter-sue the gym company for $10million.

"I was working out peacefully on my own, using a leg stretching press, whereby I was targeted by Mr Herat," Mehajer said.

"I will urge the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to change laws to protect high profile politicians and businessmen from such allegations which can turn their career upside down in a split second."

Since the wedding, Mehajer has rarely been out of the media spotlight with controversy dogging his every move. Soon after the wedding, the deputy mayor was the subject of an attempted censure by his own council, with two councillors trying (and failing) to pass motions criticising him for "bringing shame to Auburn" and to have the Minister for Local Government investigate the circumstances around the wedding. He was fined $220 for illegally blocking a street while filming his wedding, but for a man with net worth in the millions, it was described as "a tap on the finger" by another councillor.

He also survived re-election as deputy mayor in controversial circumstances last month, after one councillor abstained from voting leading to a drawn vote and Mehajer's name being drawn from a hat to win.

Today, Mehajer posted on Facebook that his new $250,000 Mercedes had been issued a defect notice. Just this week, he also announced that he wants to become Prime Minister.

"I would like to start off by being in state, federal and I'd like to make my way up to the very top spot," he told 9 News.

"That would be my dream come true."

Seemingly in response to 9 News' coverage of his "press conference" announcing his plans, he posted the following to his public Facebook page:

Mehajer's latest bizarre media appearance was yesterday, when his mansion was featured in the latest film clip from American rapper Bow Wow.

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