He also said 2023-2024 had a significant impact on the hospitality industry, with the rise in interest rates and customers feeling the pinch, but said there was “probably a bit of mismanagement” among some of the franchisees in a difficult trading environment in the industry.

“My intention is to pay all the tax debts,” he said.

“Effectively, the buck always stops with me,” he said. “I have to take the responsibility for it. But if you ask if it’s my debt, it’s absolutely not.

“When the franchisees took over, they signed statutory declarations acknowledging the debts and their responsibility to paying the debts – the purchase price reflected the existing debts at the time.”

Tayeh said he was in discussions with his insolvency practitioners to try to sort out the issue. His lawyers were also working through the issues.

In April, police launched an investigation into an alleged threat by a defence contractor to bomb one of Tayeh’s Burgertory outlets.

The threat to “park a couple of b0mb$” outside the hamburger restaurant in Tullamarine was allegedly made on LinkedIn and posted under the profile of army veteran-turned-defence industry expert Guy Langford.

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In two separate incidents in 2023 and 2024, Tayeh’s home and the now-closed Caulfield Burgertory outlet were firebombed.

“To shield others from being caught in the crossfire, and to protect the livelihoods of every stakeholder who deserves to thrive without being dragged into a fight that isn’t theirs,” he wrote.

The fast-food chain owner said he would turn his attention to mentoring and consulting entrepreneurs looking to build “powerful purpose-led businesses”.

“And equally, I’ll be giving full attention to fighting the legal battle I’ve been forced into for daring to speak truth in a so-called democratic nation,” he wrote.

“My prosecution is not just unjust, it’s a warning sign for anyone who refuses to stay silent.”