Warning: Some people may find details in this story distressing
Former Christchurch businessman Michael Jaz can finally be named as the owner of infamous Christchurch bar Mama Hooch, where dozens of women claimed their drinks had been spiked.
His identity has been kept secret until today, leaving a key part of the scandal under wraps: that rapists Danny and Roberto Jaz were given powerful positions at the bar by their dad.
It can now be reported that the bar was a family operated establishment, owned by patriarch Michael Mendo Jaz.
The father installed his own sons in key positions in the business, inadvertently handing powerful roles to two eventual prolific sexual offenders.
His boys, both now convicted rapists, abused their roles to prey on more than 20 women between 2015 and 2018.
He trusted the men in senior roles, with one son, Danny Jaz, hired as the bar manager. Danny took advantage of that job to spike the drinks of multiple young women, who he then sexually assaulted, in a depraved pursuit of drugs and sex.
The other son, Roberto Jaz, was hired as a chef at the restaurant the family owned a few doors down. He used the venue Venuti, after hours, to drug and rape or indecently assault young women.
It all came crashing down in 2018 when police began investigating and Michael Jaz fired Roberto for having sex at the restaurant, before moving overseas.
While police have never suggested Michael Jaz was aware of the offending when it happened, he has been fighting to keep his name out of the media.
However, he abandoned his application and today, Judge Paul Mabey KC lifted his name suppression.
There has never been any suggestion Michael Jaz was involved in any of the criminal offending at Mama Hooch or Venuti.
Father blames women, claims they made up 'lies'
It appears Michael Jaz continued to support his sons even as allegations of sexual assault came to light – and claimed the women involved were making up “lies” under police coercion.
The bar owner made several comments to a police officer in March 2019 while trying to renew the liquor licence at Mama Hooch.
To get his licence, Michael had to meet with Christchurch's alcohol harm reduction unit supervisor Sergeant David Robertson.
Read more: 'I think I was drink spiked at Mama Hooch'
The officer had heard Roberto and Danny had been charged with criminal offending and questioned the father about this to understand any involvement his sons would have at Mama Hooch.
His brief of evidence, obtained from the Christchurch City Council under official information laws, claim Michael Jaz said: “These girls, they throw themselves at my boys”.
Michael then reportedly admitted he was still employing Danny despite him being charged.
Roberto had a bail condition banning him from going to Mama Hooch, and had been removed immediately, but Danny was continuing to frequent Mama Hooch late at night.
“They explained that they had employed a new duty manager and that Danny needed to be there to guide the person,” Sgt Robertson wrote in his brief.
“I asked Michael if Danny is paid and employed by Mama Hooch and he indicated that he is.”
When asked what Danny – who had by now been criminally charged – actually did at the premises, Michael reportedly said: “He enjoys himself”.
The father then claimed Danny had never “had to force a girl to do anything”.
“He talked about young girls coming to the premises and being very friendly with himself and the other staff,” the officer wrote.
“It became apparent that he had no concerns about Danny being at the premises and seemed to be suggesting that police were deliberately targeting him and his sons.”
The officer further noted: “I found his attitude quite strange given that two of his sons had been charged with serious criminal offending.”
Read more: 'Every chance' there could be more Mama Hooch victims, police say
The father reportedly outright accused police of corruption, saying: “Why do the police force these girls to make up these lies about my sons?”
Sgt Robertson reportedly said he wasn’t going to listen to that “nonsense” and left the meeting. He opposed the liquor licence and argued Michael Jaz was not “not a suitable person” to hold an alcohol licence.
The Mama Hooch premises has since been sold and is under new ownership with a different name.
Venuti is still owned by the Jaz family but lost its liquor licence in February 2023 and is now closed.
Michael Jaz currently lives in Australia and was nowhere to be seen when his sons went to trial.
Brothers hid drugs, tampered with CCTV
While information about the former bar owner is limited, further material from the court record indicates his sons took steps to avoid CCTV cameras during their sexual activities on the premises.
In a text conversation between Danny and Roberto Jaz in 2015, Danny asked his brother if he had removed the “smrk” – their slang for drugs – from their Volkswagen Touareg.
“The old boy trying to ring me, maybe they found it,” he wrote.
“There home get up and get it out, [sic]”.
Roberto, seemingly in a panic, swapped ideas on how to go undetected.
“What if they left it there to see what happens,” he replied.
“Y the f*k didn u take it and put in ur room man like I said [sic]”.
“Just throw it out,” Danny replied. “Say you were going to, but you found it as we were leaving.”
No submissions were made in court about the identity of "the old boy".
In another exchange between the brothers, they discuss security cameras at Mama Hooch.
Prosecutors argued that Roberto had access to the live security feed through an app on his phone, and used it to secretly monitor patrons he was targeting.
In a text sent around midnight on an evening in 2015, Roberto gave Danny instructions on how to avoid the cameras in the bar.
It appears from the text exchange that Danny was talking to, or targeting, a woman. Roberto tells Danny to “get her naked” and “do yoga”, asking his brother to provide “pics”.
But there was a problem with their plan – someone was watching.
“Old boys on his phone [sic],” Roberto wrote in the text.
“If you go behind bar area, it’s a black spot.”
“Wich wire do I pul out [sic],” Danny replied.
Roberto directed him to a wire that ran “direct to the router”. Danny, seemingly worried the “old boy” had been watching, said “still on his fone”.
Roberto laughed and told his brother he would sort the wire tomorrow, saying “I don’t know whether he was looking or not”.
Danny aired his frustration at this “old boy”, saying he could “get f**ked”.
Prosecutors argued this text exchange was evidence the brothers tampered with CCTV footage to conceal sexual contact on the premises.
Father fired his son over sex
One of the most significant insights into the relationship between Michael and his sons comes from a letter Roberto wrote, indicating the father fired his son when he was caught having sex at Venuti.
Police discovered the note while raiding a family home in 2018, after two women came forward to report a horrific sexual assault at the restaurant.
They claimed Roberto had given them a white powder and took advantage of them at the venue, indecently assaulting both women while they came in-and-out of consciousness.
In the letter, which is dated 30 August 2018, Roberto addresses his father in very formal language.
“Dear Michael Mendo Jaz”, it begins – and then, in brackets, “Dad”.
“I am writing you this letter of apology for my actions that occurred in the early hours on the 15th of July 2017 at your establishment Venuti Restaurant (Jaz Holdings Limited),” it continues.
“I am treuly [sic] and sincerely sorry for taking a female to Venuti to use the bathroom.”
Roberto only specifies one woman – when there were actually two – and claims she liked him, saying “one thing lead [sic] to another which resulted in some consensual sexual activity between us”.
A judge would later find Roberto had actually drugged and indecently assaulted both women there that night.
In his apology letter, he repeatedly lied to his Dad about what happened, but acknowledged it was wrong to have “utilised” the venue for sex.
“I know that this has put stress on you and the family. I am truely [sic] sorry for the repercussions this has caused, as a result I am aware that my position at your establishment is terminated.”
Read more: Drink spike case: Mama Hooch rapist Roberto Jaz assaulted in prison
He admits his father had gifted him an incredible position in the business.
“I am truely sadend [sic] by this result but I agree with the decision you have made. I know I will never receive a position this good anywhere.”
He also confesses he is unable to make it on his own, without family support.
“As a result of my job being terminated I can no longer afford to pay you monthly for the repayments on the family house,” he wrote.
“Therefore I would like you to please remove my name from the title. Until I get my feet back on the ground I may need some help financially and I will repay you as soon as I can.”
He followed his lies with a request for his father’s forgiveness, saying “I hope you can forgive me”.
The letter was signed by hand, to represent a formal document, and ends “Roberto Jaz, your son”.
Roberto will no longer need a family home; it is highly likely he and his brother Danny will receive a lengthy prison term when they are sentenced in August.
His father is unlikely to visit often: he is thousands of kilometres away in Australia.
The family business is in ruins as a life of privilege comes crashing down.
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