ICAC finds no trace of ChatGPT on witness's phone as corruption inquiry deepens
ICAC found no evidence that ChatGPT was used to draft Abedin's statement. He claimed the phone was in Bangladesh.
Mohammad Abedin is a Homebush real estate agent who told ICAC he used ChatGPT to draft a statement about Strathfield mayor Matthew Blackmore and shared it with ex-councillor Sharangan Maheswaran before signing it.
Maheswaran is under investigation by ICAC for allegedly blackmailing Blackmore into resigning as mayor. ICAC counsel Juliet Curtin challenged Abedin's account.
She told him the commission would have evidence if ChatGPT had been used. It had none.
Abedin said the phone with ChatGPT was in Bangladesh. The statement said Blackmore was using his council power and developer connections as threats.
- Homebush real estate agent
- Abedin's business location
- Ex-Labor councillor and lawyer
- Maheswaran's background
- Strathfield mayor
- Blackmore's position
- Operation Rosny
- ICAC investigation
Why it mattersA witness's credibility depends on whether their account can be checked. Sharing a draft before submission can affect how strong the evidence is.
AustraliaThis NSW corruption case directly tests the watchdog's ability to verify witness claims and uncover attempts to obstruct or manipulate investigations into local government misconduct.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 7 d ago
