A jury in the trial against celebrity jeweller Michel Germani over a staged $2.8 million robbery at his luxury store in Sydney’s Hilton Hotel has been discharged after being unable to reach a verdict.
The high-profile jeweller, who once designed for Princess Diana, faced a two-month trial alongside 59-year-olds Mounir Helou and Andrea David Cusumano over their alleged roles in the 2023 scheme.
Michel Germani and his wife, Coco Germani.Credit: Facebook
The fake robbery took place about 6.30pm on January 10, with Helou and another man allegedly entering the store and posing as customers. Germani, 67, and his shop assistant Lana Al-Khoury were allegedly tied up with cable ties.
Germani and Helou already admitted to staging the robbery and lodging a false insurance claim. Germani also pleaded guilty to providing false statements to police but denied detaining his staff member while in the company of others for financial gain.
He, too, denied robbing and using corporal violence against Al-Khoury – a charge also fought by Helou.
Cusumano was accused of a far lesser role, primarily activating a phone used for planning. He fought one count of attempting to commit an offence to dishonestly obtain a financial advantage.
Mounir Helou (left) and Andrea David Cusumano (right) leave Darlinghurst District Court during their trialCredit: Janie Barrett
The jury found him guilty of that charge after 19 hours of deliberations.
The crown prosecutor indicated they will make a detention application in an attempt to take Helou into custody for the offence he has pleaded guilty to – staging the robbery and lodging a false insurance claim.
The matter will be heard again on July 28 for a new trial date to be set for Germani and Helou.
Germani will remain in custody until the retrial, while Cusumano will remain on bail until his sentence hearing on September 19.
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