Danny Awad in $5m property bid

Mick Gatto’s son-in-law Danny Awad has claimed a share of a $5m property portfolio alongside lawyer Pat Lennon. See why.

Danny Awad and his wife Sarah Gatto. Picture: Facebook

Danny Awad, the son-in-law of underworld figure Mick Gatto, took legal action to claim a share of a $5m property empire while banged up in Barwon Prison on serious drugs charges, court documents show.

Mr Awad is charged with attempting to possess 22kgs of cocaine that Australian Federal Police alleged was smuggled into the country hidden in printers.

He was freed from prison after the High Court in November over-ruled the conviction and earlier this month the courts varied his bail so that he could go on holiday in Queensland while he awaits a fresh trial.

However, in April, while still in jail, Mr Awad launched legal action in the Victorian Supreme Court alongside lawyer Pat Lennon and a high-interest loan company called Argyle Lending that is run by Mr Lennon’s wife Jane, who is also a lawyer.

Mr Awad, Mr Lennon and Argyle Lending claim they were entitled to stakes in three properties in Melbourne and the proceeds of sale from a property in Western Australia held by a woman who formerly worked for Argyle Lending, Linda Sadik, and her family.

Jane Lennon, Director at Argyle Lending. Picture: Facebook

Melbourne lawyer Pat Lennon. Picture: Ellen Smith

They claim the Sadiks used money from the sale of the WA property, in Perth suburb Bentley, to help buy or renovate the three Melbourne properties — a $2.15m South Yarra townhouse, a $1.3m Bulleen townhouse and a shopfront on Lygon St in Brunswick East leased to a hipster bar and estimated to be worth more than $1m.

In addition to a slice of the properties they also claim to be entitled to a share of $690,000 reaped from the WA sale.

The case remains on foot even though in June, as part of a separate case, the Supreme Court removed caveats slapped over the Melbourne properties by Mr Lennon, Argyle Lending and Mr Awad.

Mr Awad could not be reached through Mr Gatto, who said: “He won’t want to talk to you mate.”