Cases of Tony Mokbel and associates may be tainted by Gobbo’s informing
Several of Tony Mokbel’s crew and family members may be able to fight their convictions after receiving notifications their cases were possibly tainted by barrister-turned-snitch Nicola Gobbo.
True Crime
Don't miss out on the headlines from True Crime. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The state’s top prosecutor has warned 12 more people that their cases may have been tainted by Lawyer X’s informing.
Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd has sent out a total of 32 letters over the Victoria Police-Nicola Gobbo informing scandal engulfing Victoria’s justice system, which could potentially overturn convictions and cost the state millions.
The DPP initially notified 20 people in late 2018 that their lawyer had potentially duped them.
“I can confirm to date, 32 disclosure letters have been sent to affected persons by the Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd QC,’’ an Office of Public Prosecutions spokesman said.
There could be many more letters to come, with the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants identifying 1300 potentially contaminated cases.
But secrecy still surrounds the identity of many of those officially recognised as having been deceived by Gobbo’s dual role as lawyer and registered police informer.
Those who have been told their cases may be tainted in clude Tony Mokbel, his brothers, and his sister-in-law.
Mokbel, serving a minimum of 22 years for drug trafficking, is appealing against his convictions. He has been in isolation since he returned from hospital after being bashed by inmates in February last year.
Mokbel is aiming to be released from prison this year.
His legal bid has been slowed as his team demands documents from Victoria Police about Gobbo’s informing against him.
It is also believed his brothers Horty and Milad, who are no longer in jail, and his sister-in-law Zaharoula, have all received “letters of disclosure’’ from Ms Judd.
His eldest brother, Kabalan, is also believed to be among those caught in Gobbo’s net.
Other members of Mokbel’s gang seeking to appeal or make a compensation claim include his drug-dealing underlings Zlate Cvetanovski, Frank Ahec, David Ilic, Shane Bugeja and Stephen Gavanas.
Mokbel is hoping to become the second jailed gangland figure to walk free from Barwon Prison.
Faruk Orman, whose conviction for the murder of underworld heavy Victor Peirce was overturned, is the only person to have made a successful appeal based on Gobbo’s informing.
MORE NEWS:
WHY CORONAVIRUS COULD BE THE END FOR AUSSIE RETAILERS
INSIDE THE BIGGEST DECISION IN AFL HISTORY