Designer accused of $4m blackmail in love triangle spat
It has all the makings of a fun TV show: feuding with the owners of a successful fashion brand, threats of multimillion-dollar blackmail, and a love triangle.
But instead of playing out on the small screen, the explosive drama between the Vlahos’ glamorous cousins will unravel in the NSW District Court.
Vicki Vlahos and her assistant Milad Ghazi are on trial after pleading guilty to charges of blackmailing her teenage cousin Danielle Vlahos out of $3.8 million over a love triangle affair.
The cousins founded the Portia & Scarlett fashion brand, which has been an incredible success in Australia and abroad and is a multi-million dollar buyer’s favorite.
Danielle traveled to Greece with Vicki’s ex-husband as they negotiated the sale of part of their business, the court was told on Wednesday.
In his opening statement, the attorney general said the evidence showed the couple had an intimate relationship that caused problems between the cousins.
Danielle is expected to testify Mr. Ghazi said that in September 2023, Vicki threatened to tell Danielle’s estranged husband about the affair, but Danielle said she would keep quiet in exchange for $3.8 million.
According to the court, this amount was the difference between the initial offer for company shares, which was not accepted, and the offer made later.
Your older cousin told Danielle, “In order to live freely in Sydney and without ruining your entire life and reputation, you need to pay me $4.3 million minus $900,000.”
Danielle is expected to testify, claiming that Vicki has evidence of the affair, which will be deleted after the agreement is signed.
“You know this is an extortion, right?” He is expected to say that he asked.
Vicki allegedly replied, “Say whatever you want.”
But Vicki’s lawyer Tom Hughes argued the evidence would show Danielle was a liar who hatched a “devious plan” to gain an advantage over her cousin.
Danielle rejected a high sales offer and subsequent offers continued to fall, she said, leading to a “very difficult business dispute” between the cousins.
“This is not blackmail at all, it’s a decision Danielle made to set up Vicki, involve the police and maximize her business advantage in all of this,” Mr Hughes told the court.
Witnesses are expected to tell the court that the relationship between Danielle and her cousin’s ex-husband was not a secret, but rather a “very public, reckless relationship”.
Vicki looked dazzling as she arrived at the courthouse in a luxury Maserati car, carrying a Chanel handbag and a bag by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad.
On Thursday, Danielle will come face to face with her cousin when she takes the witness stand.
