Michael Croke: Lawyer on trial over alleged plot with Andrew McManus
A Sydney lawyer allegedly concocted a plot with a crime figure and pop music promoter to retrieve $700k seized by cops at the Hilton Hotel.
Central Sydney
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A well-known Sydney lawyer cooked up a story with an alleged crime figure and a music promoter in a bid to retrieve more than $700,000 of dirty money seized by cops at Sydney’s Hilton Hotel, a court has heard.
US criminal Owen Hanson, now serving a lengthy sentence in an American prison for unrelated matters, allegedly revealed at a meeting with solicitor Michael Croke in 2011 that he gained the funds through illegal gambling.
“We’ll have to think of something better than that,” Croke is alleged to have replied.
First arrested in September 2015, the Potts Point lawyer’s District Court trial began on Monday, where he has pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice, participating in a criminal group and providing false or misleading statement to gain financial advantage.
Crown prosecutor Christopher Taylor accused the 69-year-old of being part of a group who concocted a false story and coached witnesses in an attempt to convince police that the money was in fact legitimate.
Mr Taylor said the alleged plot included Croke, Hanson, music promoter Andrew McManus, alleged crime figure Craig Haeusler and personal trainer Sean Carolan.
Carolan was arrested in August 2011 while wheeling the bag full of cash through the hotel lobby, after police received a tip off that there was a “gun” in room 3206 – the suite he was staying in.
Both Hanson and 58-year-old McManus, who has since pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice, are set to give evidence during the trial.
The Crown alleges Croke and his “associate” Haeusler recruited McManus in March 2012 to “put his hand up” as the source of the cash as police probed its origin, having not been sold on an initial story that it was to be invested in a weight loss business started by Carolan.
McManus was under “enormous stress” and “desperate for money” with an upcoming Lenny Kravitz tour in danger of falling over due to cashflow problems, the court heard.
Mr Taylor told the jury Croke “guaranteed” McManus a $200,000 loan for his participation in the scheme before coaching him through his police interview.
The court heard Croke allegedly helped workshop the tale of why McManus owed money to Hanson – who then gave it to Carolan – first considering telling police it was to repay a deposit for a US Black Eyed Peas concert, before settling on ZZ Top.
The court heard phone intercepts revealed how confident Croke and Haeusler were in the story they had helped create.
“If they run a court case there’s no way in the world we’d lose,” Croke is alleged to have said in a recorded conversation.
Haeusler allegedly told Hanson his performance during his own police interview was a “f**king Academy Award winner”.
It is alleged Croke also said there would be “nothing (police) could do” if the funds were released into his trust account, as requested in an ultimately unsuccessful Supreme Court case that he fronted against the State of NSW for the money’s return.
“It would be out of there in 30 seconds,” he allegedly said.
Croke’s alleged involvement in the plot came to light through phone intercepts recorded as part of a separate investigation into money laundering and drug importation by Strike Force Fairlawn in 2012.
It identified Hanson as a key person of interest, with wire taps inadvertently uncovering the alleged conspiracy to regain the American’s cash.
The trial continues.