Former young rich-lister allegedly hired heavyweight standover man known as 'Mr International' to threaten business partners over debts
An international standover man was allegedly hired by a former young gun Australian property developer to collect a debt from two former business partners, a court has heard.Paul Fridman, 50, spent Monday night behind bars after police raided his Caulfield home and charged him over an alleged $20million extortion plot linked to a firebombing on a Glen Iris property at the weekend. Fridman is the man behind Fridcorp, which in 2021 acquired The Intercontinental Hotel Double Bay, in eastern Sydney, for $180million.The property was known as the Ritz Carlton in the 1990s, hosted Princess Diana in 1996 before INXS frontman Michael Hutchence was found dead in room 524 the following year.Fridman cried as he was hauled off to jail on Monday night after applying for bail in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court. Police allege Fridman engaged a nefarious character known as 'Mr International' to threaten and intimidate two of his former business partners. 'I promise you … people get shot, houses get burnt and people get kidnapped over things like this,' the standover man allegedly told his victims. 'If my needs aren't met … I will start terrorising you all from today. Your lives aren't worth losing over a bit of money. Paul Fridman sobbed as he was taken away to jail 'I really don't want to show you what I'm capable of.'The messages were fired off to former business partners Ash Boyd and Nigel Givoni, and to Mr Boyd's wife, after Fridman allegedly hired the mystery enforcer to chase alleged debts, the Herald Sun reported. Detective Senior Constable Andrew Lauder told the court Fridman was pursuing $250,000 he claimed was owed by Mr Boyd and $20 million from Mr Givoni.Dozens of allegedly menacing texts poured in after Fridman engaged Mr International, the court heard.One associate of the standover man was captured on CCTV slotting a handwritten note through the Boyd family mailbox: 'Tell Ash to get in contact with Mr International,' it read. Hours after two Molotov cocktails were allegedly hurled at the Glen Iris property on Saturday night, setting the porch alight, Mr Boyd received another message. 'Good afternoon brother, have you changed your mind? Either you pay the bill … or I keep terrorising you,' it allegedly stated. The same associate is believed to have visited Mr Givoni's home with a warning that 'it will only get worse'. Paul Fridman and his wife Kestie LaneDetective Senior Constable Lauder said it was 'nothing short of a miracle' that no one was injured.The court heard Fridman even contacted Mr Boyd himself, begging him to 'listen to Mr International'.Questions the accused allegedly typed into ChatGPT were also tendered in court. 'Is it legal in Australia to sell debt to a third party?' one inquiry read. 'What happens if that person turns violent?' another asked. In his police interview, Fridman allegedly admitted hiring the standover man through a contact and promising him a 10 per cent cut of any money recovered, but claimed he did not know the enforcer's real name. He conceded he knew threats and harassment would follow, but denied instructing violence or property damage.After learning of the firebombing, he said he rang Mr International to call it off. Former Hawthorn star Brad Sewell won a messy legal battle over unpaid rent after leasing his multi-million dollar mansion to FridmanFridman has been charged with three counts of extortion, blackmail and possessing cocaine. Meanwhile, the hunt for the real identity of Mr International continues.Fridman had been supported in court by his wife.Police had opposed bail amid fears he would destroy evidence and interfere with prosecution witnesses. On Tuesday night, Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge granted Fridman bail on the back of a $225,000 surety put up by his parents. Fridman had founded Fridcorp at age 21 and featured on the BRW Young Rich List with an estimated $65 million fortune in 2012. He was declared bankrupt in August 2023. In 2021, he made headlines after former Hawthorn star Brad Sewell won a messy legal battle over unpaid rent against Fridman. The two-time premiership AFL player had leased his Brighton property to Fridman for $12,167 a month in rent.Sewell claimed Fridman fell behind in his payments and owed him $48,472 before he took the matter to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. VCAT later ordered him to pay Sewell out.
