Controversial lender-of-last resort Ian Lazar is out on bail after his elderly father Rabbi David Rogut put up $200,000 in cash as surety.
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Mr Lazar, 43, who appeared by video link from Long Bay jail, has been behind bars since he was arrested on October 30 last year.
He is facing 16 charges, including fraud, dealing with the proceeds of crime, conspiring to intimidate a police officer and the theft of cattle.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Gorman told the Downing Centre Local Court that Mr Lazar showed "a demonstrated capacity to interfere with witnesses" and that he posed an unacceptable flight risk.
A police report from the internal COPS system revealed Mr Lazar had associations with some significant Sydney criminals.
His barrister Greg James, QC, used the report to rattle off a list of supposed associates of his client, including a "Mrs Ibrahim".
Mr James quipped that his client was more like to be at risk from them than the other way around and that Mr Lazar certainly "hasn't been in Macquarie Street at night in recent times".
Mr James said that Mr Lazar, who had mental health issues, was not a flight risk.
Magistrate Mark Buscombe was critical of aspects of the police case saying some of the charges were "fundamentally defective" or that they "failed to provide the proper particulars".
He said it was difficult to assess the strength of the police case as only limited material was placed before the court.
In granting bail, Magistrate Buscombe said that Mr Lazar had to report to North Sydney police daily, hand in his passport and not approach prosecution witnesses.
His bail conditions also include only having one mobile phone, not leaving his house between 8pm and 6pm, and being accompanied by his partner or her mother, Louise Anne Nelson, during the day.
