A high-profile Sydney jeweler has been charged after allegedly arranging an armed heist of his own jewelry store in what New South Wales police say was an elaborate attempt to defraud his insurance company.
Michel Elias Germani — whose business Germani Jewellery has designed items for the likes of Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor and the Saudi royal family, according to its Web site — was arrested on Monday.
Police say that the 65-year-old initially told officers that he and a staff member were threatened by two men posing as customers at his store in Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building in January.
Photo: Reuters
One of the men allegedly threatened the staff member with a knife, while the other demanded access to the jeweler’s safe, according to police.
The pair allegedly fled the store after Germani and the staff member were restrained.
Police last month arrested two people, Shanel Tofaeono, 37, and Mounir Helou, 57, over the alleged robbery.
However, on Monday, police arrested Germani after alleging the robbery was a scam.
Germani yesterday faced Downing Centre local court, where police alleged he was involved in “planning and coordinating the robbery and attempted to defraud an insurance company.”
He has been charged with aggravated robbery and depriving a person of their liberty, attempting to dishonestly obtain a financial advantage by deception, publishing false or misleading material to obtain property, and participating in a criminal group and contributing to criminal activity.
Germani made no application for bail and was ordered to reappear in court for a bail review tomorrow.
Germani is the founder and chief executive of the jewelry brand that rose to fame in 1988, when it became a sponsor of the Australian TV gameshow Sale of the Century.
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