A bitter dispute between the cousins behind successful fashion label Portia & Scarlett has reached the NSW District Court, where Vicki Vlahos and her assistant Milad Ghazi are facing trial over alleged blackmail claims.
The pair have pleaded not guilty to accusations they attempted to extort $3.8 million from Danielle Vlahos amid a family and business fallout involving an alleged affair.
Prosecutors told the court the cousins had co-founded the internationally successful fashion brand and were negotiating the potential multimillion-dollar sale of part of the business when tensions escalated.
The court heard Danielle had travelled to Greece with Vicki’s former husband around the same period, with prosecutors alleging the pair were involved in an intimate relationship that damaged the cousins’ relationship.
According to the prosecution, Danielle will testify that Mr Ghazi told her in September 2023 that Vicki intended to reveal the alleged affair to Danielle’s estranged husband unless she paid millions of dollars.
“You need to pay me $4.3 million minus $900,000 to be able to live in Sydney freely and without wrecking your entire life and reputation,” Vicki allegedly told her cousin.
Danielle is also expected to tell the court she responded: “You know this is extortion right?”
“Call it what you like,” Vicki allegedly replied.
Defence barrister Tom Hughes rejected the allegations, arguing the dispute was commercial rather than criminal and accusing Danielle of orchestrating “an insidious plan” to gain leverage during negotiations over the business.
He told the court the cousins had been involved in a “very hard fought commercial dispute” after Danielle rejected an initial offer to sell part of the company, with later offers declining in value.
The defence also claimed the relationship between Danielle and Vicki’s former husband was widely known and “a very public, indiscreet affair”.
The trial continues at Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court, where Danielle is expected to give evidence.
Source: yahoo.com
