Tarek Zahed: Comanchero guilty of dealing with criminal proceeds
One of the country’s most senior Comanchero bikies has been warned to “leave the kids at home” when he is sentenced for using family members’ bank accounts to peddle $190,000 in criminal proceeds.
Central Sydney
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One of the country’s most senior Comanchero bikies has been warned to “leave the kids at home” when he is sentenced for using the bank accounts of young family members to peddle almost $200,000 in criminal proceeds.
Tarek Zahed, the buff sergeant-at-arms of the Comanchero outlaw bikie gang Sydney chapter, has pleaded guilty to handling the criminal proceeds of crime and using a misleading document to dodge a $50,000 payout to a wounding victim.
The Homebush 40-year-old used the bank accounts of young family members to move the criminal proceeds, with the source of over $190,000 unable to be explained by the car salesman.
The illegal operation began in September 2016 and continued until his arrest in June last year.
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Criminal groups prosecutor Andrew Bonora told Magistrate Jennifer Giles in sentencing Zahed, the court needs to consider his violent criminal history and his outlaw bikie pals.
“This is a systematic use of bank account, not in his name … for what other purpose than to hide from police what he was doing,” he said.
“There needs to be a strong message.”
A court ordered report revealed the father-of-four, who only recently learned he was a grandfather through a daughter he just met, claimed he simply didn’t understand his financial responsibilities.
Zahed’s barrister told the court the Homebush man’s misleading bank statement was motivated so he could pay the $50,000 compensation in instalments. The court Zahed always intended to pay the sum and it has since been paid to the wounding victim.
Magistrate Giles said the $190,000 of criminal proceeds was “the most I have ever seen” and warned Zahed to have his affairs in order when he returns to be sentenced later this month.
“Obviously your client will have his affairs in order so there is no whinging ... don’t bring the kids is all I am saying”