‘Friend’ offers $1m for mafia boss’ bail

Mafia don Francesco Madafferi has made a bid for bail while he appeals his conviction, with a “friend” offering up $1m to try and secure his release.

Frank Madafferi has been refused bail while he appeals his conviction. Picture: David Crosling

Jailed drug trafficker Francesco Madafferi has been refused bail while he appeals his conviction over his role in the “Tomato Tins” drug syndicate.

The mafia figure applied for bail last month with a preference to reside with his brother, Tony, in Keysborough.

A $1m bail surety was offered up by a “friend” as part of his bid to be released.

But the Supreme Court of Appeal denied him bail on Thursday, stating he did not meet the “exceptional circumstances” test.

Madafferi’s bail bid was also complicated by the fact that Australian authorities, in September, 2015, cancelled Madafferi’s Australian visa.

Madafferi, had he been granted bail, would have been sent straight from Loddon Prison near Castlemaine to an immigration detention centre.

The former fruiterer would have remained in detention unless a federal minister approved his release into the community or he won his appeal and overturned his conviction.

Madafferi is appealing his 2014 drug trafficking conviction arguing his one-time lawyer, Joseph Acquaro, was also a police “human source’’, otherwise known as an informer.

Mr Acquaro is now deceased.

Madafferi has served seven and a half years of a 10-year sentence and in August was denied parole.

If Madafferi’s appeal is unsuccessful he can re-apply for parole in August, 2022.