Hells Angels’ GoFundMe page for De Ieso murder trial legal fees closed

A fundraising page set up to help a bikie gang’s “brothers” pay crippling legal bills for a Pooraka murder trial appears to be no more.

A crowdfunding page set up to raise money for a bikie gangs “brothers” has been shut down.

The northern chapter of the Hells Angels bikie gang is seeking public donations to help pay

the crippling legal fees of its “brothers’’ who are before the courts.

In an unprecedented move, a GoFundMe page has been set up asking for cash donations for members of the north crew “facing some serious legal problems.’’

Late on Sunday, after The Advertiser broke the story, it appeared donations were no longer being accepted.

There are currently seven alleged members and one associate of the north crew on trial in the Supreme Court charged with the murder of panel beater Jason De Ieso and other gang members are facing trial in other courts over a range of other unrelated serious offences.

Another two North Crew members at the centre of a murder probe by Victorian detectives investigating the death of Adelaide associate member Kerry Giakoumis in Melbourne in June last year.

Picture: GoFundMe

The trial of the eight accused of murdering Jason De Ieso is set to be one of the longest – and most expensive – in the state’s history.

The accused have engaged more than two dozen lawyers and barristers – including Marie Shaw QC, Lindy Powell QC, Grant Algie QC, Andrew Moffa, Bill Boucaut QC and prominent Victorian criminal barrister Philip Dunn QC.

The majority are being funded by legal aid with that total expected to cost taxpayers more than $4 million dollars.

However, two are funding their own defence with senior legal sources suggesting the cost of those is likely to be “north of a million dollars” each.

The GoFundMe “North Crew family support’’ page was established four days ago by a man closely linked to the North Crew. It has so far raised $1,475 of its $300,000 target.

“As some of you are aware our brothers are facing a some serious legal problems,’’ it states.

“We are asking for as much support and donations as we can get for our brothers, any little bit helps.

“We have raised over $1,000,000 for the boys so far which includes them all selling everything they have and remortgaging theirs and their families homes.

“We still need to raise another $300,000 to help the boys families with lawyers.

“While we are still working away at any fundraising idea we can think of, we ask our brothers and friends to please help our brothers fight for their freedoms.’’

Murder victim Jason De Ieso – image supplied by SAPOL by family's request

A senior detective with extensive experience in combating OMCG’s across Australia said the move “debunked the propaganda spruiked by all bikie gangs.’’

“So much for the so-called brotherhood they tell the public is their lifeblood,’’ he said.

“They talk about supporting one another through everything and yet they can only raise this small amount of money by begging for public donations.

“This is the Hells Angels we are talking about, the largest and most feared OMCG in the world. Where are their brothers if they have to beg for money from the public to pay their legal fees?’’

The murder charges the north crew members are facing relate to the 2012 murder of panelbeater Jason De Ieso who was shot in the head when the eight men allegedly stormed a Pooraka business looking for a rival Finks bikie. He was not connected to either bikie gang and was an innocent bystander.

Police have alleged the murder was the culmination of four days of violent feuding between the Hells Angels and Finks that included a firebombing and several assaults at a tattoo parlour.

The men were arrested and charged in August 2019 following an 18-month covert investigation by Major Crime detectives that painstakingly reconstructed their movements leading up to the alleged murder.

The DPP prosecution team is spearheaded by top criminal prosecutor Jim Pearce QC, who is assisted by senior prosecutor Rebecca Gray and solicitor Sarah Attar.

In recent months three have been lengthy voir dire hearings on the admissibility of certain evidence before Justice David Lovell. The trial, before Justice Trish Kelly, is expected to start in April.