Fugitive’s lover kept Lawyer X in the loop on Tony Mokbel
Nicola Gobbo was told days after drug lord Tony Mokbel made his infamous escape from justice that he was “ok’’ — after meeting up with his de facto wife Danielle McGuire.
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Nicola Gobbo was told days after Tony Mokbel made his infamous escape from justice that he was “OK’’ — after she met up with his de facto wife Danielle McGuire.
And Gobbo — revealed to be police informer Lawyer X earlier this year — was among the first people Mokbel had McGuire called after his capture 15 months later as he languished in an Athens prison cell.
Nine days after Mokbel disappeared, Gobbo met his lover McGuire at The Old Paper Shop Deli in South Melbourne.
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“Danielle McGuire is in touch with Tony Mokbel and is ultra paranoid, would only mouth the words, ‘He is OK’,’’ a police information report made on March 29, 2006, reads.
Gobbo’s proximity to Mokbel throughout this period will figure prominently in his bid to overturn his convictions and at the royal commission into the management of police informants.
Mokbel is understood to have fled his trial, over charges of importing 3kg of cocaine, after hearing he was to be charged with two gangland murders. He has since claimed Gobbo advised him to flee.
In the weeks beforehand, police information reports show Mokbel was also worried about speculation that a gangland hitman had “rolled’’ on him, implicating him in murders. Gobbo, acting for Mokbel at the time, told Victoria Police an AFP agent informed her the murder rap was coming.
“A couple of days ago FedPol member Ragg mentioned to 3838 (Gobbo) at court that he was aware that Tony Mokbel was ‘Going to be charged with a number of murders’,” a police information entry stated. The report was made on March 24, 2006, four days after Mokbel fled.
Police reports showed Gobbo to be “gleeful”.
“3838 (Gobbo) brought up irony of situation, in that 3838 currently very happy to have TM out of 3838 life, but is attempting to ascertain info that may locate him.
“Very apparent that 3838 demeanour changed dramatically, now laughs and jokes a lot, says people constantly asking 3838 why so happy?’’
Mokbel, despite his suspicions, did not know that Gobbo was a registered informer who then helped police to track him down in Athens and was briefed her “handlers” on his strategies to avoid extradition. Gobbo even raised with officers the prospect of claiming a percentage of the $1 million reward for the fugitive after his capture.
One police information report reveals: “3838 feels that it is her responsibility to ensure Tony returns to Melbourne. 3838 states that Tony will ultimately agree to return to Melbourne.’’
Other information reports show that Gobbo knew Mokbel would seek her out for legal advice after he was arrested in a restaurant in Athens beachside suburb Glyfada.
Gobbo was soon advised that “Tony will be fighting the extradition”, which she passed on to police.
Her contempt for Mokbel is evident throughout information reports. In February, before Mokbel escaped in 2006, she mocked him: “Tony Mokbel is basically stupid and doesn’t listen to 3838 advice.’’