Antonietta Mannella avoids extra jail time for handling dirty money, being kept in protective custody
Antonietta Mannella, the girlfriend of underworld figure George Marrogi, is in poor mental health as she is kept away from other prisoners for her own protection, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
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The girlfriend of underworld figure George Marrogi is languishing in near solitary confinement as she is held in protective custody due to her high profile.
Antonietta Mannella, 30, was on Thursday spared further jail time after she admitted dealing with the suspected proceeds of crime over $110,000 transferred to her personal bank account.
In arguing for a reduced sentence, her lawyers told Melbourne Magistrates’ Court she was in a “dire” predicament and poor mental health while she served a 13-year jail term in a protective unit at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.
In April 2021, Mannella was sent $110,000 in three payments from other members of the money-laundering syndicate set-up to clean drug money from Marrogi’s Notorious Crime Family operation.
She later withdrew the money on the instruction of Marrogi’s sister Meshilin, who died in 2021 and was a key player in the syndicate by directing who received funds and how long it remained in their accounts.
Mannella’s lawyers said she did not appreciate the scale of the drug operation and turned a “blind eye” to requests by Meshilin in an effort to keep her employer and close friend on side.
Magistrate Kieran Gilligan accepted she had good prospects for rehabilitation and handed her a $2000 fine with conviction.
Appearing via video link from custody, she showed little emotion during the hearing.
In February, Mannella was jailed for 13 years with a non-parole period of six years and 10 months for drug trafficking and importation by aiding Marrogi who organised meth and heroin shipments from behind bars.
County Court Judge Peter Rozen said she had been “manipulated and used” by Marrogi in the drug operation.
He noted she had a traumatic childhood due to her father being murdered.
On Wednesday, Marrogi’s mother and brother were each sentenced for their roles in the money-laundering syndicate.
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