Developer Glen Tabak yesterday denied all accusations levelled at him in the final ICAC report, declaring he would " not become a scapegoat or the subject of a witch-hunt".
Commissioner Jerrold Cripps found Mr Tabak engaged in corrupt conduct with his one-time sleeping partner, planner Beth Morgan, who was responsible for approving his Victoria Square development.
Mr Tabak could also face a number of criminal charges including corruptly giving a benefit "in relation to each of the cash payments he gave to Ms Morgan".
However, in a statement yesterday to the Mercury, Mr Tabak said he had never acted in a "deceitful or corrupt manner towards any individual employed in a public role or otherwise".
"The accusations made towards me by the ICAC are untrue and I vehemently deny all the accusations," he said.
"I have not benefited financially or otherwise from corrupt activity by any person, nor have I engaged in corrupt activity myself, nor have I influenced or instructed any person to act in a corrupt manner. Not once through my actions or instructions have I asked or implied for someone to work outside of any particular rule or guideline so as to make personal or financial gain - it is simply not true.
"I will continue to defend my rights and will not become a scapegoat or the subject of a witch-hunt; all allegations levelled towards me will be strenuously defended to the full extent of the law."
Mr Tabak and Ms Morgan met at the "table of knowledge" in March 2004 and by mid to late April were in a sexual relationship, although both initially denied their relationship to ICAC officials.
Mr Cripps said the "overriding reason" the pair had provided false responses to the commission was because they both knew that truthful responses would disclose their wrongdoing.
Ms Morgan was responsible for assessing and approving the initial DA for Mr Tabak's Victoria Square development and a subsequent modification he lodged in 2005.
The $31 million development is the largest high-density residential development in Wollongong.
Mr Cripps said Ms Morgan and Mr Tabak had a close personal relationship from March until early October 2004, which gave rise to an obvious and extreme conflict of interest.
In June 2004, Mr Tabak arranged for one of his companies to carry out significant plastering work on Ms Morgan's home.
Ms Morgan told the inquiry that Mr Tabak had asked her to pay the invoice of $2637.80, "in order to make it look legitimate", and said he would pay her back in cash. He later gave her $2200 cash without offering a reason.
In his report, Mr Cripps said when Mr Tabak gave Ms Morgan the cash, he was aware she would be responsible for assessing his application. "He offered and gave her the money with the intention of inducing her to assess and determine the DA in a way favourable to his interests," the report said.
Around July 2004, while Ms Morgan was assessing the development, Mr Tabak offered to sell her a unit in Victoria Square at less than market value.
A few months later, Mr Tabak "threw" a bundle of cash into Ms Morgan's car, which she said totalled $3300. At the time, she thought he gave her the money to ease his guilt for having ended their sexual relationship. However, ICAC regarded it as "an inducement or reward for assessing the DA".
Ms Morgan approved the development in 83 days, when the average time taken was 181 days, despite the building breaching a number of planning guidelines.
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