Inside the lives of the Gold Coast, Brisbane people charged over $190m money laundering syndicate

We can reveal the lavish lives led by the four people charged over a sophisticated money laundering operation where $190m of cash was allegedly washed into cryptocurrency for criminals.

A company linked to an alleged key player in a sophisticated money laundering operation owns more than $8 million in property while another accused was the former boss of an Australian motorsports company.

It comes after Australian Federal Police uncovered an alleged money laundering operation running out of a Gold Coast security company that investigators say washed millions of cash into cryptocurrency for criminals.

Four people have been charged and police allege organised crime groups moved money around the country using dead drops and couriers to the company before it was laundered.

Investigators allege the armoured transport unit of the company converted $190m into cryptocurrency, through dozens of transactions, which are still under investigation.

Peter Thomas Nolan was the former director of the Australian arm of A1 Grand Prix.

The Courier-Mail can reveal one of the accused – Peter Thomas Nolan – was the former director of the Australian arm of A1 Grand Prix and was once in business with a Formula One driver, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

In 2023, police began probing millions of dollars in allegedly suspicious transactions to a company linked to Heathwood man, Aleksander Alincic.

Alincic, who has been charged with money laundering and failing to provide the password to a mobile phone, is accused of profiting around $9.5 million as a customer of the sophisticated money laundering scheme allegedly being run through a Gold Coast security business owned by Daniel and Nicole Ware.

The Wares are facing charges of one count each of dealing with the proceeds of general crime, worth $10m or more.

AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said investigations into all elements of the operation, including other potential criminal clients and the source of the $190m transferred into cryptocurrency between October 2022 and May 2024, was ongoing.

Aleksander Alincic is one of the alleged key players in a sophisticated money laundering operation. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Police will allege Alincic controlled a sales promotion company which received cash and cryptocurrency from the security company.

Police allege he tried to distance himself from the operation by using his wife’s name as a “straw director” of company ATA Property Group.

Property records show Alincic’s home in Heathwood is owned by ATA Property Group and that the company is owned by Alincic and his wife, Tamara Alincic.

Mrs Alincic has not been charged with any offences and is not suspected of any wrongdoing.

The property company, which lists Mrs Alincic as the majority shareholder, owns seven properties in Brisbane and Bundaberg which were all bought between 2022 and 2024.

This includes three homes in Bundaberg which were originally owned by Alincic or his wife before being sold to ATA Property Group for $1.4 million each in 2023.

Property data shows those Bundaberg homes are valued around $500,000.

Alincic is also listed as personally owning properties at Algester, and previously at Coopers Plains.

One of the properties owned by a company linked to Aleksander Alincic.

The company linked to Aleksander Alincic owns more than $8 million in property.

Business searches show Alincic is the current director of two companies – Fortuna Investitiones Group and Orbis Aurelius Group.

He’s the previous director of ATA Homes Group, La Vida Empire and 2 Kings Security.

West End man Peter Thomas Nolan is accused of profiting about $6 million in the operation, with police alleging he funnelled money through business accounts to Alincic.

He has been charged with two money laundering offences.

Nolan is the owner of a classic car company who allegedly received the money from the security company before laundering it through his business in 17 months.

It is understood police will allege Nolan opened seven bank accounts to conceal the source of the money as he moved it around.

Nolan was the former director of the Australian A1 Grand Prix team in 2006 – a racing series referred to as the World Cup of Motorsport.

Nolan was listed in business documents as a director alongside former racing driver Alan Stanley Jones who competed in Formula One in the 1970s and 1980s.

Jones is not facing any charges and has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Police seize a vehicle linked to an alleged money laundering syndicate. Picture: Australian Federal Police

Daniel Roydon Ware and Nicole Lauren Ware are the owners of the Gold Coast security company police allege used a complex network of bank accounts, businesses and couriers to launder millions of dollars of illicit funds in 18 months.

The company – Direct Protections – allegedly mixed money from the legitimate arms of its business with money deposited by criminals.

Police allege the armoured security arm of the company washed about $190 million of cash into cryptocurrency.

It will be alleged the operation was moving money around the country using dead drops and couriers to deliver cash to Ware’s company to be laundered.

Mr Ware currently holds 14 director positions at multiple companies, including security business Direct Protections.

Mr Ware has held that position since 2017.

The Gold Coast property linked to all of the businesses is partially owned by his wife, Nicole Lauren Ware.

Mr Ware is not listed as owning any property under his name.

Originally published as Inside the lives of the Gold Coast, Brisbane people charged over $190m money laundering syndicate