Libs take money off Mafia man
EXCLUSIVE
The suspected Mafia godfather of Melbourne helped bankroll a
Liberal Party marginal federal seat campaign in the 2013 election,
raising the prospect that the proceeds of crime have flowed into Liberal
coffers.
The alleged crime figure's fundraising occurred despite
Liberal politicians knowing of his suspected involvement in organised
crime and in a previous political donation scandal investigated by
federal police.
A Fairfax Media investigation can reveal the alleged Mafia
boss helped host the "Bruce Campaign Fundraising Dinner", which a
Liberal Party memo later described as a "very successful" event, at his
Docklands reception centre on March 1 last year.
Waterfront Venues Melbourne. Photo: Ken Irwin
Federal Liberal MP Russell Broadbent, who has known about the
donor's alleged crime ties for several years having been implicated in
the 2009 donations scandal, was at the Docklands event with the
suspected Mafia boss. The guest speaker at the event was Victorian
Planning Minister Matthew Guy.
Also at the fund-raiser was Liberal candidate for Bruce
Emanuele Cicchiello, long-time Liberal operative and former Bass Coast
mayor Neville Goodwin and state Liberal MP for Hastings Neale Burgess.
The alleged Mafia boss has been previously described by
police in court as a person allegedly involved in "murder, gunshot
wounding and arson". He has been named as a suspected hitman in two
coronial inquests in the 1990s and identified in a recent police
intelligence briefing as the leader of a ''well established'' Calabrian
Mafia cell in Melbourne that remains a powerful presence at Victoria's
wholesale fruit and vegetable market.
Russell Broadbent. Photo: Andrew Meares
The Liberal donor has close associations with Melbourne's
senior Italian organised crime identities, including an alleged drug
trafficker who co-owns the Docklands function complex where the Liberal
event was held, Waterfront Venues Melbourne.
This alleged drug trafficker was given a visa in 2005 after
the suspected Mafia boss lobbied and donated to the Liberal Party as
part of a campaign to have the Howard government overturn its decision
to deport the man on character grounds. Allegations from a Liberal
insider that the donations amounted to a bribery attempt were
investigated by the federal police in 2009 in a probe that generated
significant publicity.
The alleged Mafia boss and his associate who was granted a visa cannot be named due to a criminal court suppression order.
Ken Smith. Photo: Angela Wylie
Liberal sources confirmed that hire of Waterfront Venues
Melbourne was donated by the alleged Mafia boss for the $250-a-head
dinner. Food and drink was also heavily subsidised. Expensive items were
also auctioned off at the event, including a helicopter ride for two
and a dinner.
No specific records of the fund-raiser have been lodged with
the Australian Electoral Commission, with Liberal sources saying the
individual donations made as part of the event were under the $12,100
disclosure threshold.
Despite being the subject of numerous organised crime probes,
the alleged mob boss has never been charged with a criminal offence and
denies any involvement in organised crime or political bribery. The
federal police bribery probe was closed after gathering insufficient
evidence.
The revelations come as the Independent Commission Against
Corruption probes donations by colourful business identities to Liberal
politicians in NSW.
Mr Broadbent declined to respond to repeated requests from
Fairfax Media for comment. The Liberal MP previously lobbied the Howard
government to give the suspected Mafia figure's associate a visa,
despite authorities arguing he should be deported because he was a
criminal.
The figure was issued a visa on humanitarian grounds in 2005.
Mr Broadbent was one of four Liberal MPs who lobbied to overturn the
man's deportation who were investigated by federal police in their 2009
probe.
In 2012, the crime figure and the suspected Mafia boss took
over the Docklands venue where the Bruce campaign fund-raiser was later
held. A third owner of Waterfront Venues Melbourne is a relative of
late Mafia godfather Rosario Gangemi, who died in 2008 and was
previously identified by police as a top Mafia leader allegedly involved
in murder and racketeering at Melbourne's fruit and vegetable wholesale
market.
Fairfax first sought to question Mr Broadbent in 2009 about
why he had attended fund-raisers with the alleged Mafia figure and his
associates. It is believed that Mr Broadbent's relationship with the
alleged Mafia figure is more extensive than publicly known.
The pair are believed to have met on several occasions in the
company of a small number of other donors, with Mr Broadbent having
facilitated meetings between the man and senior state and federal
Liberal Party figures, including Bruce Billson and Amanda Vanstone.
State Liberal MP and former lower house Speaker Ken Smith,
and his former electorate staffer and ex-Bass Coast mayor Neville
Goodwin have also previously been involved in fund-raising and charity
events with the alleged Mafia boss dating back to the mid 1990s.
The alleged Mafia figure has helped raise thousands of
dollars for the Liberals in Melbourne's outer south-east, where he is
perceived to hold influence over voters of Calabrian heritage.
Asked about his association with the alleged Mafia boss, Mr
Smith said: "He's never asked me for anything. I take people as I find
them.''
The suspected Mafia boss has a business empire spanning
Victoria, including stalls at the wholesale fruit and vegetable market,
property developments, supermarkets and involvement in the nationwide
La Porchetta pizza chain. He has also had dealings with NSW Liberal
Party donors, including real estate agent Pat Sergi. Mr Sergi, named
in a 1979 royal commission as a money launderer for the Mafia, was
recently called as a witness at the NSW ICAC hearings into Liberal Party
fund-raising.
A spokeswoman for Mr Guy said the minister "was invited to
attend the [Docklands] function by the Liberal campaign for Bruce. The
minister had no role in organising the event or its guest list."
Mr Goodwin confirmed he has known the owner of the venue for
several years, while Mr Burgess said he attended the Docklands function
as a guest of a prominent market gardener in his electorate who had
taken a table at the event, and did not know who owned the venue.
Do you know more?
Email nmckenzie@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Election spending caps?
The spending by politicians during campaigns should be capped says LNP MP Wyatt Roy.
Liberal Party marginal federal seat campaign in the 2013 election,
raising the prospect that the proceeds of crime have flowed into Liberal
coffers.
The alleged crime figure's fundraising occurred despite
Liberal politicians knowing of his suspected involvement in organised
crime and in a previous political donation scandal investigated by
federal police.
A Fairfax Media investigation can reveal the alleged Mafia
boss helped host the "Bruce Campaign Fundraising Dinner", which a
Liberal Party memo later described as a "very successful" event, at his
Docklands reception centre on March 1 last year.
Waterfront Venues Melbourne. Photo: Ken Irwin
donor's alleged crime ties for several years having been implicated in
the 2009 donations scandal, was at the Docklands event with the
suspected Mafia boss. The guest speaker at the event was Victorian
Planning Minister Matthew Guy.
Also at the fund-raiser was Liberal candidate for Bruce
Emanuele Cicchiello, long-time Liberal operative and former Bass Coast
mayor Neville Goodwin and state Liberal MP for Hastings Neale Burgess.
The alleged Mafia boss has been previously described by
police in court as a person allegedly involved in "murder, gunshot
wounding and arson". He has been named as a suspected hitman in two
coronial inquests in the 1990s and identified in a recent police
intelligence briefing as the leader of a ''well established'' Calabrian
Mafia cell in Melbourne that remains a powerful presence at Victoria's
wholesale fruit and vegetable market.
Russell Broadbent. Photo: Andrew Meares
senior Italian organised crime identities, including an alleged drug
trafficker who co-owns the Docklands function complex where the Liberal
event was held, Waterfront Venues Melbourne.
This alleged drug trafficker was given a visa in 2005 after
the suspected Mafia boss lobbied and donated to the Liberal Party as
part of a campaign to have the Howard government overturn its decision
to deport the man on character grounds. Allegations from a Liberal
insider that the donations amounted to a bribery attempt were
investigated by the federal police in 2009 in a probe that generated
significant publicity.
The alleged Mafia boss and his associate who was granted a visa cannot be named due to a criminal court suppression order.
Ken Smith. Photo: Angela Wylie
Melbourne was donated by the alleged Mafia boss for the $250-a-head
dinner. Food and drink was also heavily subsidised. Expensive items were
also auctioned off at the event, including a helicopter ride for two
and a dinner.
No specific records of the fund-raiser have been lodged with
the Australian Electoral Commission, with Liberal sources saying the
individual donations made as part of the event were under the $12,100
disclosure threshold.
Despite being the subject of numerous organised crime probes,
the alleged mob boss has never been charged with a criminal offence and
denies any involvement in organised crime or political bribery. The
federal police bribery probe was closed after gathering insufficient
evidence.
The revelations come as the Independent Commission Against
Corruption probes donations by colourful business identities to Liberal
politicians in NSW.
Mr Broadbent declined to respond to repeated requests from
Fairfax Media for comment. The Liberal MP previously lobbied the Howard
government to give the suspected Mafia figure's associate a visa,
despite authorities arguing he should be deported because he was a
criminal.
The figure was issued a visa on humanitarian grounds in 2005.
Mr Broadbent was one of four Liberal MPs who lobbied to overturn the
man's deportation who were investigated by federal police in their 2009
probe.
In 2012, the crime figure and the suspected Mafia boss took
over the Docklands venue where the Bruce campaign fund-raiser was later
held. A third owner of Waterfront Venues Melbourne is a relative of
late Mafia godfather Rosario Gangemi, who died in 2008 and was
previously identified by police as a top Mafia leader allegedly involved
in murder and racketeering at Melbourne's fruit and vegetable wholesale
market.
Fairfax first sought to question Mr Broadbent in 2009 about
why he had attended fund-raisers with the alleged Mafia figure and his
associates. It is believed that Mr Broadbent's relationship with the
alleged Mafia figure is more extensive than publicly known.
The pair are believed to have met on several occasions in the
company of a small number of other donors, with Mr Broadbent having
facilitated meetings between the man and senior state and federal
Liberal Party figures, including Bruce Billson and Amanda Vanstone.
State Liberal MP and former lower house Speaker Ken Smith,
and his former electorate staffer and ex-Bass Coast mayor Neville
Goodwin have also previously been involved in fund-raising and charity
events with the alleged Mafia boss dating back to the mid 1990s.
The alleged Mafia figure has helped raise thousands of
dollars for the Liberals in Melbourne's outer south-east, where he is
perceived to hold influence over voters of Calabrian heritage.
Asked about his association with the alleged Mafia boss, Mr
Smith said: "He's never asked me for anything. I take people as I find
them.''
The suspected Mafia boss has a business empire spanning
Victoria, including stalls at the wholesale fruit and vegetable market,
property developments, supermarkets and involvement in the nationwide
La Porchetta pizza chain. He has also had dealings with NSW Liberal
Party donors, including real estate agent Pat Sergi. Mr Sergi, named
in a 1979 royal commission as a money launderer for the Mafia, was
recently called as a witness at the NSW ICAC hearings into Liberal Party
fund-raising.
A spokeswoman for Mr Guy said the minister "was invited to
attend the [Docklands] function by the Liberal campaign for Bruce. The
minister had no role in organising the event or its guest list."
Mr Goodwin confirmed he has known the owner of the venue for
several years, while Mr Burgess said he attended the Docklands function
as a guest of a prominent market gardener in his electorate who had
taken a table at the event, and did not know who owned the venue.
Do you know more?
Email nmckenzie@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/libs-take-money-off-mafia-man-20140522-38rrq.html#ixzz32VtLKpnD
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