Sons of murdered mafia lawyer Joe Acquaro win lion’s share after bitter dispute over estate
THE lion’s share of the estate of murdered mafia lawyer Joe Acquaro has been awarded to two of his three sons after a bitter dispute.
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THE lion’s share of the estate of murdered mafia lawyer Joe Acquaro has been awarded to two of his three sons.
In a protracted and bitter dispute, Alessio and Adriano Acquaro, who sued to increase their 20 per cent share in the estate, have been paid an extraordinary sum to walk away.
The Sunday Herald Sun believes they doubled their inheritance and were awarded between $1.5m and $1.8m in an undisclosed settlement with the estate’s executor, their uncle Massimo Acquaro.
They were left an inheritance of about $330,000 each by their estranged father. The Sunday Herald Sun has been told the settlement was reached after months of intimidation, including two violent attacks on Adriano.
The messy legal battle has taken place while Acquaro’s murder remains unsolved and the subject of confusion over what motivated his killer to shoot him on March 15, 2016.
Massimo Acquaro, Joe’s brother, was reported to be distraught at the mediation.
The odd outcome, reached after months of tense negotiations, leaves their older brother Alfredo cut out of his inheritance. The other benefactors, Joe Acquaro’s four nephews and nieces, have also lost out in the settlement.
The Sunday Herald Sun understands that the two younger brothers are close to Antonio and jailed drug trafficker Frank Madafferi. They were present at court to support Madafferi in his attempt to appeal his conviction over the “Tomato Tins” ecstasy case.
Alfredo Acquaro Sr is believed to have contributed financially to the settlement after buying out his deceased son’s business, Gelobar cafe in Brunswick East, outside which the lawyer was shot.
It is believed the family was desperate to avoid court action, which may have exposed deep family rifts. Among those issues was Joe Acquaro’s violent streak, detailed in Alessio and Adriano’s affidavits.
Joe Acquaro made his last will and testament on August 28, 2015, only months after police investigated suspicions a contract had been taken out on his life.
The homicide squad continues to investigate the death of Mr Acquaro, who had represented high-profile gangland and mafia figures.
Alessio and Adriano Acquaro have refused to comment.
