Murder of Michael McGurk

The murder of Michael McGurk was an Australian contract killing.

McGurk, born Mick Rushford in 1958 in Glasgow, Scotland, was raised in the Gorbals notorious slum area by his grandmother and brothers; although some media reports claim that Rushford was raised in Edinburgh.

Served with a deportation notice, Rushford left Australia, travelling to New Zealand, via Fiji, and returned with a new passport and new identity as Michael Loch McGurk, altering his birth date from 1958 to 1964.

McGurk rose far above his impoverished roots, living in a $4 million home, driving a Mercedes S-Class, and taking luxury ski holidays.

Described by some media agencies as an alcoholic and a heavy cocaine user, McGurk was variously reported as the director of 28 failed or deregistered companies; a standover man, fixer and debt collector; a lender of last resort; negotiator; and a property developer.

Media reports claim that McGurk was involved in supplying prostitutes to high-profile people, including leading sports figures and, in the last weeks of his life, was negotiating a property deal with associates of nightclub identity John Ibrahim.

His main trading vehicle, Bentley Smythe and associated companies, Bentley Smythe Financial Services, Bentley Smythe Mortgage Fund No 1, and Bentley Smythe Mortgage Fund No 2, were all reportedly solvent at the time of his death.

Eagle Street Finance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Brisbane-based H&G Corporate, had a registered mortgage over the assets of Bentley Smythe Mortgage Fund No 1.

His sometime business partner and BRW Rich 200 member, Ron Medich had an interest in one of McGurk's companies, Business Investment Opportunities.

Of the ten million shares in this company (issued at $1 each), Ron Medich Properties owned 380,000 of the shares, with the remainder owned by Celtic Sydney, a company wholly owned and controlled by McGurk.

Other media reports claimed that McGurk died owing millions.

McGurk was reportedly two months in arrears on the $2.4 million mortgage on his Cremorne house to the mortgagee, Bankwest.

In investigating the details provided at time of approving the loan, Bankwest found that the information supplied by McGurk was allegedly fraudulent.

The tax files and pay slips McGurk had provided to obtain the loan had been forged.

Title to the house was in the name of McGurk's wife.

Following revelations of the fraud, Bankwest advised McGurk that, as mortgagee, it intended to sell the property.

McGurk sought assistance from Medich who reportedly lent him $3.6 million to pay out Bankwest.

McGurk also owed Medich $10 million at the time of his death, relating to Medich's equity in Business Investment Opportunities.

In an interesting twist of fate, Medich, together with Graham Richardson, a political lobbyist and former Labor federal minister, met Sam Haddad, the Director-General of NSW Planning, the day before the alleged murder of McGurk and reportedly discussed why Haddad overrode senior planning officials' recommendation that the Medich land be rezoned after a meeting with Frank Sartor, at the time the Labor NSW Minister for Planning.

Reports of the financial relationship between Medich and Richardson varied, with McGurk alleging to Herald journalists that Richardson was on a retainer of $25,000 per month, whereas Medich claimed that Richardson was being paid $5,000 per month.

In various media reports, it was claimed that Medich and McGurk were in dispute, including matters that were brought before the Federal Court by Medich against McGurk and his wife, and various companies associated with McGurk.

Rushford travelled to Australia in 1993, where he began working with ECC Lighting, in inner Sydney.

Whilst he was employed at ECC, Customs officers found out that Rushford had overstayed his temporary visa.

McGurk, a Scottish-born Australian businessman, was murdered by a single gunshot to his head on 3 September 2009 outside his, Sydney family home.

These matters were heard by the Court and dismissed on 8 April 2009, due to Medich failing to disclose material facts.

Costs were awarded against Medich.

In another matter that is yet to be resolved, Medich and McGurks' executors are in dispute.

Prior to his death, McGurk was negotiating a property deal for Bob Ell, a BRW Rich 200 billionaire.

Ell's company, Leda Holdings, had interest in Kings Cross landmark property, the Crest Hotel.

Ell sought to redevelop the Crest and buy the property from Australand for $70 million.

According to media reports, McGurk was negotiating on behalf of Ell and for business associates of John Ibrahim to run the downstairs bar area of the Crest in return for an investment of $10–$15 million.

McGurk was working with Ell to collect rent from tenants and met disgraced former company director, Jim Byrnes.

Despite initially being on opposing sides of negotiations, Byrne and McGurk would later form a friendship, and work together for Ell.

Leda Holdings held a $450,000 mortgage over McGurk's city office on York Street, Sydney – which is owned by McGurk's wife.

It was reported that Australand rejected the McGurk's proposal just days before his death.

McGurk's company, Bentley Smythe, had previously lent up to $1 million to businessman Richard Woods.

Woods was the owner of a bathhouse which was beset by leaking water problems, located on the first floor of the Crest Hotel building.

In October 2010 five men were arrested and several charges laid; and by April 2013 four of them had been convicted and jailed in connection with the murder of McGurk.

The last accused, businessman Ron Medich, was, in April 2018, found guilty by a jury in the Supreme Court of New South Wales of orchestrating the murder of McGurk, and of intimidating McGurk's wife.

In June 2018 Medich was sentenced to a 39-years custodial sentence, with a 30 year non-parole period.