Greyhound racing warning on family of alleged Finks bikie boss Ali Bilal — after email from NSW Police

NSW Police have warned the greyhound racing industry about the links of an alleged Finks bikie boss to the industry. Read the email here.

The wife and daughter of an alleged interstate Finks bikie boss are being allowed to train and race greyhounds in NSW, despite warnings from both police and the sport’s integrity body over their suspected links to organised crime.

Ali Bilal, who was formerly legally known as Tony Soprano, is allegedly president of the Finks OMCG chapter in Canberra.

But through his wife Chloe, his daughter Sophie and alleged bikie associates, Bilal has developed increasing links to greyhound racing in NSW in recent years, resulting in police alerting the state’s Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission (GWIC).

Bilal and the bikie gang’s links to greyhounds came to a head last September, when NSW Police carried out a firearm prohibition order (FPO) compliance check at his rural home at Wollogorang, south of Goulburn in NSW, where Chloe has kennels and trains greyhounds.

The NSW Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission tried to deny Sophie Bilal a training licence earlier this year over her links to alleged bikie father Ali Bilal, but the NSW Racing Appeals Tribunal documents overturned that decision.

An email from NSW Police to GWIC, contained in official decisions of the regulatory body and NSW Racing Appeals Tribunal, outlined how officers at the property allegedly found several Finks bikies working, as well as bikie gang colours and illegal drugs.

One of those bikies was Scott Janiak, who was handling dogs on the farm despite not being registered and having an “extensive” criminal record.

Alleged Finks bikie boss Ali Bilal with his daughter Sophie (centre) and wife Chloe. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

Nathan Lazarus with one of Chloe Bilal's winning greyhounds before his accreditation was suspended by GWIC.

The other was Nathan Lazarus, whose accreditation to work in the greyhound industry was suspended after he allegedly assaulted a cop during the FPO search that day, resulting in him being charged with assault, and hinder police in the execution of duty, to which he has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting a hearing in July at Goulburn Local Court.

“On the 20th of September 2023, we attended … Wollogorang to conduct an FPO compliance search on Ali Bilal,” police officer Mitchell Clark told GWIC in an email, according to official NSW Racing Appeals Tribunal documents.

“The location is used as a kennel facility for dog breeding and greyhound training by Chloe Bilal.

“During the execution of the search warrant Nathan Lazarus … was charged with two offences being assault police officer in execution of duty and hinder or resist police officer.

“Lazarus is a confirmed Finks OMCG member.

Alleged Finks bikie Nathan Lazarus has pleaded not guilty to two charges after allegedly assaulting police during an FPO search at Ali and Chloe Bilal’s property in September 2023.

“Police located numerous items of interest in the main dwelling house, including what is believed to be performance enhancing drugs and steroids.

“Prior to the execution of the search Police Rescue Squad used a drone to conduct surveillance of the property, another male, Scott Janiak was seen to be handling the greyhounds.

“Janiak is not a registered greyhound handler. Janiak is also a confirmed Finks OMCG member and has extensive criminal antecedents.

“Chloe stated that only her [sic] and Ali Bilal stay in the dwelling. A Finks OMCG vest was in the wardrobe of the main bedroom, this is believed to belong to Ali Bilal.

“Ali Bilal is the president of the Finks OMCG interstate chapter and resides at this address.”

The email was part of the evidence relied on by GWIC earlier this year in their battled to stop Bilal’s daughter Sophie being issued with a training and owning licence.

NSW Police alleged in emails to GWIC, that Ali Bilal is president of an interstate chapter of the Finks OMCG.

GWIC initially knocked back Sophie’s application, but she successfully appealed the decision to the NSW Racing Appeals Tribunal.

GWIC told the tribunal while they did not allege 26-year-old Sophie “was a criminal”, her father’s bikie links and the email from NSW Police detailing the links of other bikies to the family’s greyhound racing business, meant there was a risk she would have “a deleterious (harmful) effect on public confidence in the greyhound racing industry”.

Chloe, Sophie and Ali Bilal.

Bilal’s partner Chloe has also been fighting GWIC, after she was issued an 11-month a suspension for administering cobalt to two of her winning dogs.

Chloe was recently granted a stay against the suspension, allowing her to continue training and racing dogs, until an appeal can be heard.

The stay appeal heard it was not the first time Chloe has been suspended for drugging dogs since being registered as a trainer in 2021 and had a previous record of two “prohibited substance matters” before GWIC.

Bilal and Chloe first made headlines in 2017, when her father Steve Pattman revealed he had bought a motorbike and a gun, and joined the Rebels OMCG – of which Bilal was allegedly a high-ranking member at the time – in an effort to try and “protect” her.

But the relationship between Bilal and Chloe has continued, with social media posts showing the pair and Sophie regularly all smiling together and commenting support over greyhound racing results.

The Daily Telegraph does not suggest Chloe or Sophie Bilal are criminals, involved with illegal drugs or in any way in the Finks OMCG, or any other OMCG.

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Originally published as Greyhound racing warning on family of alleged Finks bikie boss Ali Bilal — after email from NSW Police