Top NSW police officers raided by LECC over Stiletto brothel allegations
The NSW Police Force’s hierarchy is in crisis mode after several of the state’s most senior officers had their homes raided over allegations they had previously accepted the services of sex workers with the permission of a Sydney brothel owner.
The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, which is investigating allegations of serious misconduct by police officers, executed search warrants at the homes of at least three senior officers last week.
Multiple police sources said last year: reporter CCTV footage dating back a decade has emerged showing at least two senior officers visiting Stiletto, a brothel in Camperdown.
It is claimed that civil servants are provided free service.
At the time, Stiletto was owned by high-profile gambler Eddie Hayson, 57, who is currently awaiting trial for the commercial supply of large quantities of banned drugs.
There is no suggestion that Hayson had any connection with or knowledge of the LECC raids.
There is also no suggestion that the officers or Hayson were guilty of misconduct, only that the raids took place.
The LECC has refused to comment on last week’s raids, saying it only discloses its operations “when it is in the public interest”.
“Disclosing information about an existing complaint or investigation could jeopardize the progress of our work,” the LECC said. He said he was subject to privacy laws.
“Therefore, we cannot inform you whether there is an investigation into this matter.”
At a hearing last April, Hayson was granted bail following a previous unsuccessful application. He had spent a year behind bars following his arrest on the Gold Coast in February 2024.
Hayson was arrested by officers from Strike Force Maimura, who were targeting an organized crime group that allegedly used private planes and encrypted devices to transport drugs across the country.
At the successful bail hearing, the NSW Supreme Court heard Hayson had only a minor criminal record, which included charges of fraud and offensive behaviour.
The Crown said the allegations against Hayson were serious and posed a potential flight risk.
At the heart of the case was Hayson’s knowledge of what was inside a bag that traveled from Sydney to Perth in August 2023. Police found that the bag contained 16 kilos of methamphetamine and five kilos of MDMA. Hayson was charged with knowingly taking part in the supply of large commercial quantities of banned drugs.
Hayson’s lawyer, Ian Lloyd, KC, told the bail hearing there was “no evidence that my client touched the suitcase”. Hayson also thought it contained cash, not drugs, Lloyd said.
A deposed witness said Hayson told him “there’s a lot of money involved,” but Lloyd said that meant Hayson thought “there was a big amount of money in that bag.”
reporter He lodged a complaint with the Professional Standards Command in 2017 detailing allegations about an officer’s links to Hayson. “It is well known that [X]He invited other senior officers to “drug and sex parties with prostitutes at Eddie Hayson’s premises,” the complaint said.
Various police sources also said: reporter There was some concern among senior officers that they may have been photographed attending private parties at a house in Yowie Bay that was once attached to Hayson.
Hayson lost control of the brothel in 2014 and declared bankruptcy due to $52 million in debt. Stiletto, once described as the “Taj Mahal of Sydney brothels”, was taken over by a relative of Hayson’s who was owed millions of dollars.
Judges, police officers and other influential people attended his brothel, Hayson said at a 2016 press conference. Asked if he was trying to use their participation as leverage over them, he said: “No, absolutely not.”
Hayson’s press conference was held to deny allegations that he was involved in match-fixing in rugby league. At the press conference he admitted providing free sex to football players and jockeys but denied expecting anything in return.
“This was how I was promoting my business,” Hayson said.
“Word of mouth is a very powerful tool.”
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