Sydney Morning Herald have published numerous stories on the charges brought against Ian Lazar dating back to 2014. All charges have been dismissed and withdrawn with no case to answer verdicts given. Mr Lazar has obtained numerous costs orders against the Department of Public Prosecutions.

SMH Stories acknowledges that Mr Lazar has suffered immense personal and commercial damage from these stories. One article in particular was extremely defamatory. Mr Lazar was falsely accused of sending text messages. It was confirmed in Court by a NSW police witness based on phone records and intercepts of Mr Lazar’s phone that in fact he was in the Cross City Tunnel at the time the text messages were sent. The Police witness admitted it was not physically possible that Mr Lazar had sent the text messages. Additionally, by admission of the NSW Police at Court, Mr Lazar was 38 minutes away from Dick Smith Electronics Chullora where the burner phone was purchased, which would also make it impossible for Mr Lazar to have sent the alleged threating text messages which were the subject of the criminal charges.

Mr Lazar is seeking $10m compensation for spending eight months in remand, without having  a conviction of any kind or any criminal record at the time.

After ten years of numerous Court hearings, trials and an appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal, all charges were withdrawn, dismissed or were the subject of not guilty verdicts issued by the Courts.

Sydney Morning Herald Stories apologises for any harm it may have caused Mr Lazar and his family.