A pub tycoon has denied knowing the scale of a conservative Liberal Party operation he financially backed as the faction falls under a corruption cloud.
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating potentially illicit political donations and alleged branch-stacking spearheaded by the Reformers, a Christian faction among the state's Liberals.
They were allegedly driven by fugitive property developer Jean Nassif, working with former Liberal premier Dominic Perrottet's brothers Charles and Jean-Claude, as well as lobbyists such as Christian Ellis.
Political donations from developers, as well as those in the liquor and gambling industry, have been banned in NSW since 2009.
Hotelier Michael O'Hara admitted on Tuesday he donated $25,000 to the Reformers, but also savaged the backroom deals the group cut with other lobbyists and financial backers.
"After what I heard yesterday and what I read in newspaper articles and what's happened with Ellis and Jean-Claude, I am absolutely astounded by where it all ended up, which I had absolutely no knowledge of," he said.
"I'm disgusted."
In a back-and-forth with counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer, Mr O'Hara tried to distinguish between ardently backing the insurgent faction and dealing with Mr Ellis.
The former registered lobbyist and Dominic Perrottet staffer is accused of receiving prohibited donations.
Mr O'Hara, an 83-year-old undergoing treatment for stage-four cancer, defended his financial contributions as trying to shore up a directionless Liberal Party, which ultimately lost the 2023 state election.
"I was giving to something I believed in ... I didn't anticipate it would end up in a corruption inquiry," he told the commission.
"I thought they were good people ... I made a mistake."
The watchdog is investigating if political donations from Nassif and his development company were taken between 2020 and 2023 in return for favourable outcomes.
"I've got my hand on the state government and you're going to see changes," he vowed to an associate in a recorded phone call played to the commission.
He also said he would "f*** him sideways" of former Liberal police minister David Elliot and drew up plans to have building commissioner David Chandler dumped from his role.
Dr Dwyer said there were three central allegations of corrupt conduct from between 2019 and 2023.
They were all linked to Nassif and driven by "the confluence of personal greed and political ambitions."
Charles Perrottet and Liberal-affiliated lobbyists anticipated receiving $2 million from Nassif, the commission heard.
The developer is being pursued by NSW Police after a two-year fraud investigation and is believed to be living in Lebanon.
A warrant has been issued for his arrest, while 57 companies linked with his company Toplace are in administration.
