Saffron incorporated: the first king of the Cross and fifty years of sex, murder, music and mayhem. Stuart Coupe. 2025.

For many years, Sydney’s Kings Cross was the place to be. No matter where you lived in Australia, you knew it. But it had a dangerous, seedy side, and one man ruled it all.

When Stuart Coupe first visited the Cross as a young journo, he was mesmerised by the cast of characters who walked the streets. He heard the name Abe Saffron, sometimes whispered, sometimes in the news, but always with a larger-than-life quality. So, who was Saffron?

Abraham Gilbert Saffron’s criminal rise coincided with the arrival of the nightclub era. He wouldn’t be the first crime figure to tap into the world of entertainment, but Abe would become one of the most feared and most powerful in Australia. His influence would stretch around the country and he would dominate headlines and police briefs for decades. Abe’s success was born from a heady mix of booze, sex, real estate, nightclubs, showgirls and music. The money was good, so of course others would try their luck doing the same.