Bank robber Russell Manser who spent more than 20 years in jail dead
The son of a bank robber turned TikTok star Russell Manser has spoken publicly about his dad’s sudden death, saying he has lost his best friend.
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The son of a bank robber turned TikTok star Russell Manser has spoken publicly about his dad’s sudden death, saying he has lost his best friend.
“Rip dad till we meet again mate. Words can’t explain the pain this has put me through,” he wrote on an Instagram account which is filled with pictures of the two men together.
To his followers he said “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to get back to anyone. I’ve been spending time with my family and trying to actually accept this with myself atm.
“ I’ve just lost my best friend and father and I’m trying to be strong around my little brother and I’m trying to keep it together.”
Australian former boxing champion Nader Hamden has also spoken of his shock about hearing the news.
“I’m not sure WTF happened here, it’s come from nowhere, still numb to a point coz we were in touch spoke recently,” Hamden said.
“Had plans, he had some big huge plans idea’s positives ahead. He was excited by a lot of things.”
“Condolences to family friends,he loved being a positive and I know he’s touched many lives in a positive way.its still raw and new.”
The cause of Manser’s death has not yet been revealed.
He served 23-years behind bars in Northern Territory, Queensland and NSW prisons and made a name as one of Australia’s most notorious criminals before leaving a life of crime behind and starting a charity, The Voice of A Survivor.
In July last year, he told former cop Gary Jubelin on his I Catch Killers podcast: “If you want anxiety on a turbo charge, then a criminal life is for you. It’s supercharged, turbocharged anxiety. There’s no rest for the wicked”.
A survivor of sexual abuse, Manser was drawn to the gangster world, and stole cars and burgled banks.
He lashed out at society and spent 23 years locked up in prisons across the country.
“I was housed with the worst degenerates in Australia at the time,” Manser said.
His organisation, Voice of a Survivor, works to help others who have suffered abuse to find their purpose.
“I realised all this sadness, madness and brokenness – I was passing it on,” he said.
“That’s when I felt genuine remorse. I was so determined not to do that anymore to anyone else.”
On hearing of the sudden death, Jubelin said he had “much respect for the way he was turning his life around and helping others”.
Manser’s son Ky can be seen on his social media sites working with his dad in his quest to help other victims.
Manser had a podcast called The Stick Up and has featured guests including businessman Mark Bouris, Australian rapper Ay Huncho, former NRL star Braith Anasta, boxing champ Jeff Fenech and legendary boxing trainer Johnny Lewis.
Manser’s TikTok account has more than 130,000 followers.
The news of Manser’s untimely death spread quickly through the 80th birthday celebrations of Lewis in Sydney on Sunday.
In October 2022, Manser talked about what inmates thought of notorious backpacker killer Ivan Milat.
He said Milat’s short stature meant he was not a threat in prison, revealing a number of younger inmates at the Maitland prison took a shine to him and “wanted to hear all his stories”.
“Ivan Milat wasn’t a big bloke,” Manser said on social media.
“He would have been about five foot, nine inches, maybe 70kg. That’s not a real big bloke in jails, blokes are normally pretty big and fit.
“He obviously posed no real threat to anyone.”
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