Sydney’s elite social circles have reportedly been buzzing this week after socialite and mother-of-three Laura Hazzouri became the subject of renewed private commentary.
Laura, 37, is married to Charbel Hazzouri, co-founder and managing developer of Revelop, who recently joined the ranks of Australia’s billionaires. She attracted attention after posting an Instagram image of the birthday cake commissioned for her nine-year-old son.
According to Laura, her son passed on a conventional birthday cake and instead asked for a design modelled on a huge roll of money.
The eye-catching cake was made to resemble tightly rolled $100 notes, layered into a cylinder and with additional notes tucked into the centre.
Laura shared the image on Instagram Stories, showing the cake displayed on a decorative platter marked with a message celebrating her son’s ninth birthday. The post was reportedly circulated through Sydney’s so-called old-money networks soon after it appeared.
‘His cake request lol,’ Laura captioned the photo.
Laura Hazzouri (left with husband Charbel) has previously been the subject of private commentary among Sydney’s old-money circles. Her son’s birthday cake has now prompted fresh discussion
Laura said her son requested a cake styled as a giant roll of cash rather than a traditional design or a popular cartoon character (pictured)
Laura’s glamorous lifestyle, combined with reports of her more modest upbringing in regional Dubbo, has fuelled interest in her among Sydney’s wealthy social set.
The Mail understands the money-themed cake quickly became a talking point in socialite group chats, where screenshots were allegedly accompanied by a stream of teasing and criticism.
One eastern suburbs source questioned why Laura had chosen to share the image publicly, saying: ‘WHY would you post that? Just keep it private.’
Others reportedly took issue with Laura’s explanation that the unusual cake had been her son’s idea.
The discussion also extended to Laura’s husband and his cousin, fellow Revelop co-founder Anthony El-Hazouri, after the pair recently appeared on The Karl Stefanovic Show.
One prominent gossip dismissed the appearance with the comment: ‘Karl’s podcast – LOL,’ apparently suggesting the format was not suitable for two self-made billionaire property developers.
The cousins appeared on The Australian’s Richest 250 list for the first time in 2026, with their combined wealth estimated at $2.84 billion.
The latest round of commentary follows a controversy that began earlier in the year, when Laura shared a video with her then 65,000 Instagram followers documenting preparations for a family holiday in the Maldives.
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Although details of Laura’s early life remain limited, her lifestyle appears to have changed significantly since she met her husband Charbel (right, pictured on a night out in July 2023)
In June, Laura and her exceptionally wealthy husband Charbel embarked on a major home renovation and upgrade
The holiday video was widely shared in eastern suburbs social circles, prompting a mixed response. Some admired Laura’s confidence and extravagance, while others considered the display overly showy.
The reaction highlighted the long-running divide between established insiders and newcomers in Sydney’s high society. One source pointed to Laura’s Dubbo background, noting that it places her well outside the traditional Bondi social bubble.
At the time, a society insider was quoted as saying: ‘Her “day in a life” is not real or relatable. You don’t see Deb Symond O’Neil – who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth – sharing videos like that.’
Months later, in June, Laura and Charbel, seemingly unbothered by the group chat gossip, undertook a significant house upgrade.
The couple, who have been together for many years, took on an ambitious new build in Kurraba Point – a five-storey mansion with stunning views of the Harbour Bridge.
They had been living in a mansion in McMahons Point for more than a decade, before buying the $13.5million Kurraba Point home in 2020.
Amid the chatter about the cake, it’s understood there was also some sniping about Charbel and his cousin Anthony El-Hazouri after their recent appearance on The Karl Stefanovic Show
They have since knocked down the property to build their dream house: a Luigi Rosselli-designed mansion with a swimming pool, landscaped outdoor areas and multiple living zones.
The Hazzouris’ wealth, built through the family’s property firm Revelop, has been compounding for years and from a humble start in 2008.
The cousins have grown their business into a heavyweight operation spanning more than 80 commercial properties.
Their portfolio stretches across key retail centres in Sydney, as well as major acquisitions in Adelaide and Melbourne, culminating in headline deals like the $122.5million purchase of Lake Macquarie Square.
Their debut on the rich list was arguably the last laugh after snobs with intergenerational wealth scoffed at Laura’s ‘nouveau riche’ travel diary of her five-star trip to the Maldives in January.
While certain members of the socialite set dismissed Laura’s lifestyle as flashy and ‘new money’, the scale of her family’s hard-earned fortune is impossible to ignore.