Michael Ibrahim mugshot, apology released ahead of sentencing
Ahead of his sentencing for his role at the helm of an international drug ring, documents have been released detailing Michael Ibrahim’s crimes, the deals he hoped would make him millions, an ‘apology letter’ that contains no apology.
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Underworld kingpin Michael Ibrahim stares down the barrel of the mugshot camera in Surry Hills police station.
His drug empire is in ruins and he’s facing life behind bars but all he can do is crack a toothy grin.
Ibrahim was nabbed in August 2017 and, the following year, pleaded guilty to a string of charges including commercial drug importation and trafficking nearly 1800kg of MDMA, 136kg of cocaine and 15kg of ice into Australia.
Ahead of his sentencing, later this month, the NSW District Court released documents detailing his life of crime, the drug deals he hoped would make him “f***ing 50 million dollars” and an “apology letter” that contains no apologies.
The 41-year-old is described, in the documents released on Friday, as involved in “criminality of the highest order”, an “organiser and trusted high-level participant” who travelled the world to see his syndicate succeed.
At one stage Ibrahim travelled to the Netherlands to sample drugs and, later, he financed and ran money laundering operations with black market tobacco imports.
He’d become involved in the syndicate in late 2016 after he was introduced him to a drug supplier who turned out to be an undercover cop.
The cop became friends with Ibrahim and was also introduced to others in Ibrahim’s circles after saying he had “a door” that could get drugs into Australia.
Months later that cop had them on the hook for a massive smuggling operation.
“We’re gonna make millions, f***ing million a week, we’re talking about tens of millions, even making hundreds of millions of dollars,” Ibrahim would tell him, unable to restrain his excitement.
“F***ing 50 million dollars each.”
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing, Ibrahim found out two partners “skimmed” $35,000 and $30,000 respectively from the smuggled tobacco fund.
Ibrahim revealed he was “willing and capable of using violence and intimidation on his subordinates” when he shaved their heads and circulated images of their new looks to his associates.
He was powerful in his world, and stood to gain a large cut of the profits because he introduced two factions within the syndicate.
He offered to be the undercover operative’s right hand man he assured the cop “no one's going to rip me off”.
Last week he told a court he was the victim of entrapment from the cop he thought was in his corner.
The syndicate came undone in August 2017 when Ibrahim was arrested in the United Arab Emirates with Mostafa Dib, Koder Jomaa, brother Fadi Ibrahim and others also taken into custody.
Their businessman brother John has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Ibrahim’s “letter of apology” to the district court opens with him identifying himself by his birth name, Moustafa, and outlining what charges he’s pleaded guilty to.
The letter claims he was assaulted by cops in Dubai, tasered and forced to sign a document in Arabic.
Ibrahim goes on to complain about being held in segregation in Australia until the end of last November.
“The segregation affected my mental health,” he writes.
“I was always stressed, worried, upset and depressed. I was losing my mind in segregation and I complained over and over again.”
The letter ends shortly thereafter without seeming to actually apologise.
Eight-pages of the documents are dedicated to Ibrahim’s criminal history and include his aliases, Mick, Michael, Mario and “Errand Boy”.
They include charges for malicious wounding and continue with drug and driving charges in the 2000s.
The final entry, 2006, is for the manslaughter of Robin Nassour, the brother of Fat Pizza comedian George Nassour. He was given a maximum nine years and four months prison for that crime.
In November accomplice Jomaa was sentenced to at least 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to commercial drug importation.
Fadi Ibrahim is accused of helping finance the tobacco importation but denies the charges and awaits trial this year.
Prosecutors want Michael Ibrahim’s superior role in the syndicate to net him far longer behind bars — he faces multiple life sentences and 25 year sentences.