The Independent Commission Against Corruption has increased the scope of its investigation of corrupt property deals to include former Labor minister Joe Tripodi.

Assistant commissioner Anthony Whealy, QC, stunned the hearing room on Friday by announcing he had ''formally enlarged the scope and purpose of the inquiry'' and that Mr Tripodi himself was now a target of a probe into the business dealings of his former ally Eddie Obeid.

The decision to expand the inquiry came a day after Mr Tripodi's former deputy chief of staff, Lynne Ashpole, gave explosive evidence that Mr Tripodi knew as early as 2006 that Mr Obeid had an interest in ''one or two'' cafes at Circular Quay.

He and the former head of NSW Maritime Steve Dunn both face a corruption finding and potential criminal charges if Mr Whealy finds they improperly exercised their official functions to benefit Mr Obeid or his family over the lucrative businesses.