Gold Coast charity Serving the People founder Yas Matbouly charged over sexual assault allegations

A prominent Gold Coast businessman and charity founder will face court on dozens of charges after several women alleged he had sexually assaulted them.

Yas Matbouly, 50, will face Southport Magistrates Court on Saturday charged with 51 offences following an investigation from Gold Coast detectives into multiple alleged sexual assaults.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Gold Coast charity founder questioned by police

Police allege that between April 2025 and November 2025, the Mermaid Beach charity founder committed offences against three women, all in their 20s, who were all known to him.

Queensland Police confirmed officers also executed a search warrant at Matbouly’s business on Seaview Ave in Mermaid Beach, where several items were seized.

Matbouly’s 51 charges include 34 counts of sexual assault, 14 counts of rape, two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, one count of attempted rape.

He was refused police bail to appear before Southport Magistrates Court on Saturday.

The police investigation has raised uncertainty about what it means for thousands of Queenslanders who rely on Serving Our People for weekly food relief.

Despite the disruption at the business, volunteers continued to work, packing boxes of bread and meals for distribution to those in need.

Matbouly founded the Serving Our People at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The charity survived the pandemic and continued through the cost-of-living crisis, creating Queensland’s first free supermarket and opening two more outlets.

With a network of around 2500 volunteers, the organisation feeds thousands of people every week.

“We’re definitely seeing a rise in people doing it tough … and it hasn’t stopped,” Matbouly told 7NEWS just a week before Christmas.

Matbouly had stepped down as chief executive to focus on private interests last year.

Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.