SALIM Mehajer has reportedly been put in segregation at Silverwater Prison after authorities caught wind of a $250,000 hit put out on the disgraced businessman’s life over alleged underworld debts.

Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) received “intelligence” about the bounty, 7 News reports. News.com.au has contacted CSNSW in relation to the matter but a spokesperson said the department doesn’t comment on individual cases.

It comes after Mehajer’s stroke of good luck in avoiding lengthy jail sentences yesterday ran out as he was sentenced to at least 11 months behind bars for rigging a council election.

Salim Mahajer: NSW Corrective Services has received intelligence there is a $250,000 bounty his head over alleged underworld debts. @RobertOvadia #7News pic.twitter.com/szwl0EORnK — 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) June 22, 2018

The former Auburn deputy mayor appeared in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Friday after he was convicted in April of more than 100 counts of electoral fraud.

A Sydney magistrate previously found he acted in a “joint criminal enterprise” with his sister Fatima to fix the 2012 Auburn Council elections by submitting false online applications to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) which placed family who lived elsewhere in the electorate so they could vote. It was that election which led to him becoming the deputy mayor. In handing down the sentence Friday, Magistrate Beverley Schurr imposed a 21 month jail term with a non parole period of 11 months, on Mehajer, 32, to “reflect the serious criminality”.

“Only a full custodial sentence is appropriate in this case,” Ms Schurr said.

Following the Judgement, Salim Mehajer was placed in handcuffs and led away by three uniformed court officers. “I might see you soon,” Mehajer said to media as he made his first steps towards his new home for the next year. The property developer will be eligible for parole on May 21, 2019. His legal team has vowed to appeal the sentence.

Moments earlier, Mehajer — wearing a blue suit and tie while writing notes on a piece of paper as his sentence was handed down — rose from his seat and hugged his father, Mohamed Mehajer. The court heard Friday that Mohamed Mehajer blamed himself for his son’s mistakes because he had “spoiled him and treated him as the golden child”.

Mehajer was earlier found guilty of forging documents and giving false or misleading information to the AEC after the court heard he fabricated a number of addresses­ for friends and family, claiming they resided in Auburn making them eligible to vote.

The alarm bell was raised when the AEC received an unusual number of online applications shortly before the close of the electoral roll.

The magistrate found voters named in some of the forged forms later said they were not responsible for completing or signing them.

“Mr Mehajer and eight other members of his family were registered to vote at false addresses,” Ms Schurr said during sentencing.

Mehajer’s barrister Dymphna Hawkins asked the magistrate to consider “extra-curial” punishment her client had allegedly received from intense negative publicity surrounding his case. But prosecutor Liam Cavell argued that Mehajer had drawn the attention to himself with his 2015 wedding and a subsequent interview in which he revealed his ambition to become prime minister.

Ms Schurr ultimately dismissed Mehajer’s letter to the court that the sentence should also take into account he had been a target of relentless negative media coverage.

But Ms Schurr said she hoped he would seek mental health care in jail to manage his bipolar disorder and move towards rehabilitating his life.

Moments later, his model partner Melissa Tysoe — who he had discussed marriage with -deleted all references to Mehajer on her Instagram page and unfollowed his account.

SALIM’S SISTER SPARED JAIL

Earlier Friday, Fatima Mehajer, 28, also appeared in court for sentencing after she previously pleaded guilty to 77 offences related to giving the AEC false information for the 2012 Auburn council elections. She avoided jail time because she was “under the direction of her brother [Salim]” when she took part in a joint criminal enterprise to rig a council election, the court head.

Magistrate Beverley Schurr said that “all offences are proven” against the mother-of-three and imposed a two month suspended jail term with a $500 nine-month good behaviour bond.

Ms Mehajer broke down in tears as the sentence was handed down. She had been in limbo waiting six years for the Judgement. The maximum penalty for electoral fraud is 10 years’ jail time.

“Ms Mehajer did stand as a candidate (in the 2012 Auburn council elections) but I accept that was unwillingly and under the direction of her brother,” Ms Schurr said.

“In 2012 the family dynamic centred around Salim Mehajer … she was ‘under team Salim’ [and] pressured by the family.

“Mr Mehajer had a more dominant and active role in the offending.

“Given Ms Mehajer’s position in the family hierarchy, I am satisfied that that lessens her criminal culpability.”

The court previously heard that Ms Mehajer’s computer showed “saved images of receipt numbers” for some of the fraudulent election applications.

The two siblings also sent a number of suspicious texts to each other before the electoral roll closed in July 2012.

Ms Schurr said she was satisfied Ms Mehajer “expresses sincere regret” and that taking her away from her children would cause “exceptional hardship”.

The court last week heard Ms Mehajer was a “devoted mother of three children” including twin baby girls and that she was “highly unlikely to reoffend”.

“Prior to these charges …[she] was a person of impeccable character,” her lawyer told the court.

“She has not offended since then.

“[The] woman that appears before you six years later [is] in fact a very different person from the girl who committed the offences.”

SALIM’S SURPRISE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS

During last week’s sentencing submissions, the court heard Salim Mehajer was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Mehajer said he “accepted” the diagnosis.

“[It affects] the decisions I make … I’m my own worst enemy,” he said.

“Part of my bipolar is to have, have, have.

“I suffered significant depression [when in custody] and [thought] ‘maybe I do need help’.”

His lawyer Carolyn Davenport SC told the court that could explain but not excuse his “lawlessness” and “notorious escapades”.

Prosecutor Jeremy Rapke argued the validity of the diagnosis, saying there was only one expert report to support Mehajer’s claims that he was suffering mental illness and that it contained “peculiarities”.

Mehajer had previously denied all charges against him but last week told the court he was “happy to accept” his role in fraudulent activities which he described as “a failure”. He added that he “didn’t do” all of the offences.

“It was a big boy’s game … it wasn’t for children and that’s what we were. We didn’t belong there,” he said.

Mehajer said he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong at the time.

“My aim was to be a part of a group of friends and stand out a bit,” he said.

“I didn’t get any benefit from council … not even paper … I didn’t claim it.

“I’m a completely different person now.”

Ms Schurr found that despite Mehajer’s lawyers 11th hour submission that he recently been diagnosed with bi polar disorder, there was no evidence he had been suffering from mental illness at the time he committed the fraud.

‘I DID IT ALL FOR LOVE’

While in the dock last week, Mehajer extended a “heartfelt apology” for “his actions [and] behaviour” to his family, community and law enforcement as he faced a maximum sentence of 10 years jail.

“I’m very upset,” Mehajer told the court.

“I just wanted to serve the community … for love.”

But prosecutor Jeremy Rapke said Mehajer had “betrayed those very people who he [now] professed to have regard for”.

“Your honour should have some scepticism to his apologies heard today … he explained it away on his youth … not understanding the seriousness,” Mr Rapke said.

“[His] conduct was egregious.”

Mehajer shot to prominence in August 2015 when his opulent wedding, which included a jet flyover, four helicopters and $50 million worth of supercars, involved an unauthorised road closure and drew national media attention. That relationship has since dissolved.

“The wedding was the first time … in 2015 …[my sisters thought] ‘OK he has serious issues’,” Mehajer told the court during sentencing.

The court heard also fresh evidence about how the Mehajer family has been left reeling by Mehajer’s increasingly chaotic behaviour which has made him an almost daily fixture in Sydney’s courts.

At last count, Mahajer was currently embroiled in some 20 criminal and civil matters, including several assault cases and a spectacular bankruptcy action in which is creditors claim he owes $97 million.

Mehajer was released from prison on bail in April following a two-month stint behind bars after being charged with perverting the course of justice for allegedly staging a car accident on his way to face court on assault charges.

But he wasn’t so lucky this time.

megan.palin@news.com.au | @Megan_Palin