Gold Step? Wood's Royal Commission

Gold Step?  The hidden steps inside World Famous Sparkling Chandeliers.

I never knew he was known as Michael until today 5 August 2014.

When Bill Bayeh was released from prison, the setup occurred after a meeting with a person called Peter and Sex worker Michelle the amount I heard was moving to an account was $15000

Bayeh Brother Tells Of $400,000 Loan

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday December 16, 1994

By MALCOLM BROWN

A Kings Cross gambling machine owner, Mr Bill Bayeh, said yesterday that he had obtained a $400,000 home loan from the National Australia Bank at Campsie after disclosing his last gross annual income was $36,000.

Mr Bayeh told the Police Royal Commission his brother, Louis, a Kings Cross identity, had "put in a good word" for him with the manager, saying he was hard-working and "a family boy".

He said he had bought a $526,000 home in Gladesville, with the balance of$126,000 coming from six months' gambling on horse races.

Mr Bayeh said he had been confident that the manager, Don, with whom he had previously dealt at the bank at West Ryde, would approve the loan.

He said his income came from a Granville restaurant, a Bankstown shoe shop, some snooker tables, and amusement and gambling machines at three establishments in Kings Cross: 77 Darlinghurst Road, Penthouse and Lazers.He denied that he dealt in drugs or had people working with him selling drugs at Kings Cross. He had heard stories about some of the premises being drug distribution centres but had no personal knowledge or involvement.

Mr Bayeh, also known as Bill Michael, told Justice Wood, conducting the royal commission, the betting on horses had been done in cash, at TAB branches all over Sydney. He had also dealt with a bookmaker named James Staunton but had been on a losing streak for a month or more and believed he owed him$16,000 or $17,000.

He had operated the amusement and gaming machines at the Kings Cross addresses, splitting the proceeds with people at the premises and a man called Con, from Marrickville, who installed and serviced the machines.

Justice Wood asked him on what race he said he had recently lost $1,000. Mr Bayeh said it was a Sydney race track the Saturday before last, number eight in the last. Justice Wood: "Tell me what the name of the horse was?"

Mr Bayeh: "Golden Step."

Who was the jockey? - I think it was Al Grassby something?

Al Grassby? - Yes.

Mr Bayeh told Mr John Agius, counsel assisting the royal commission, that in October he had won "between $1,000 and $20,000" and the month before that he could not remember.

He did not pay anybody protection money to allow his gambling machines to operate. He simply took the risk the premises might be raided and the machines taken away. They were fitted with switches to turn them into amusement machines.

Mr Agius said Mr Bayeh's $400,000 mortgage would require repayments of$36,000 a year, which accounted for his entire gross income. Mr Bayeh said his wife also had an income, from the shoe shop.

Mr Agius said Mr Bayeh's Diners Club records showed he had paid club accounts of $14,400 between March and July this year.

Mr Bayeh said he had "expensive tastes", and, after marrying, he had been to Singapore, stayed at the Hyatt, dined at Raffles, and had gone to Lebanon, taking $US12,000, which he had spent.

Detective Inspector Graham Fowler, who was at Kings Cross from December 1987 to April 1992, said his winnings on horses over the past financial year came to $200 a week. Inspector Graham, who said he suffering the effects of a fall, over a spilt milkshake, on November 30, denied ever accepting a bribe and said his only sources of income were his salary and punting.The inquiry resumes on January 30.

 © 1994 Sydney Morning Herald