Australian casino news sees the crime theme level hit fever pitch. With a script right out of Hollywood, Melbourne sees real life Underbelly return, with bloodshed, bullets and a pokies connection. The Underbelly scenario follows yesterday's report of Melbourne Crown Casino Chinatown high rollers getting busted for drugs, a curious casino chips connection and the works. Media Man and Gambling911 once again don the bullet proof vests and call on the sniffer dogs with this special report from the war zone. 3, 2, 1 rolling and action...
Underbelly real life has appeared to return to the now mean streets of Melbourne, down under in Australia.
Evening peak hour traffic in downtown Lygon Street, Carlton. One Aussie bloke dead as wood inside the doorway of a pokies pub, another fella lying on the footpath outside the venue. A gunman darts across a public park, reloading his weapon on the run.
The deceases were said to be middle aged, both gunned down at close range. A 3rd man was has been detained in custody, being questioned over the murders.
Earlier that fateful day, in another part of Melbourne, another man lay dead. Just before 11am, a gunman jumped out of a sedan in Conifer Avenue, Brooklyn, in the city's industrial western region. He strolled towards the bearded figure of Macchour Chaouk, who was standing in his backyard, and fired several rounds into his chest.
Everyone is looking to see if there is connection between the two bloody baths. Let us also recall the Crown Casino Chinatown crims who got busted for drug dealing around the same period, with a somewhat casino chip connection, often spotted in Crown's Mahogany Room (they won't be coming back to play nor mingle).
65-year-old Chaouk, a Lebanese - Australian man with the rep of a low-mid level crime boss, had died a violent death. Police made little secret that they were looking closely at a rival crime family, which had been engaged in a vicious turf war with the Chaouk clan. Turf is often associated with the patch used for drugs, distribution, deals... you get the idea.
Melbourne police advised a 57-year-old Altona North man was arrested over the shooting at a residential address in Altona North.
Chaouk had served time in the slammer for a for number of drug offences and was charged and acquitted of murdering a drug dealer. The crime figure was involved in two blood feuds: one against the notorious Haddara family; another against Victoria Police force, who in circa 2005 shot dead his son Mohamed when its officers raided their suburban Brooklyn home.
It was last month when papa and two surviving sons, Omar and Waleed, were arrested and guns were confiscated in a series of raids by coppers. It came within a couple of weeks of a drive-by shooting in a nearby suburb that left Sam Haddara with nasty facial wounds. Omar was charged, and reluctantly bailed by magistrate Fiona Stewart on the grounds he avoid the family home.
"There is an ongoing war between two families and the court should be extremely worried about the danger posed to the community by it," Stewart said.
These happenings bring back memories of Alfonse Gangitano and Lewis Moran's Carlton Crew.
The shootings took place in Players on Lygon, a pokies den across the road from Argyle Square. Witnesses to the shootings say they heard between five and eight shots above the noise of rush-hour traffic.
Reloading the weapon as he ran for his life, the killer dressed in midnight black, reached the other side of the popular park before giving up the pursuit.
He then strolled back across the park and into the pokies venue. Several more gun shots were heard in the region. He has returned apparently to finish the job, perhaps engulfed in hate and fueled by the smell of blood.
Homicide Detective Sergeant Wayne Woltsche said the shooting as "outrageous and callous." He said he didn't believe there was a connection between this crime and the earlier murder.
"Two people have been shot in the streets of Melbourne. It is a fairly callous crime. Whether it is an execution, I cannot say."
Police sealed off the Lygon Street crime scene, they were still preping to remove Macchour Chaouk's body from his Brooklyn house under police guard.
Footage captured from a Network Nine helicopter showed Chaouk's wife, dressed in Islamic black, prostrating herself on her husband's body as it lay covered by a sheet in backyard on the family home.
Abour an hour and a half after the murders, three kids, aged one, three and five, who were inside when the killing occurred, were taken from the home, wrapped in what looked to be blankets.
Twenty minutes later, after the arrival of a grey assault vehicle, an army of 11 heavily armed Special Operations Group police officers entered the home to make it safe for detectives, forensic experts and the like.
Family and friends, including 19-year old offspring Omar, still on bail waiting to face weapons, drugs and fraud charges, waited outside for many hours after the shooting as police sealed off the area to the public and curious types. He was not allowed inside until a touch after 3pm.
An aging neighbour heard shouting and several rapid-fire gun shots at the house, on the corner of Geelong Road and Conifer Avenue, just before 11am. Schools in the area locked students in their classrooms, neighbours advised they were not surprised by the killing. They were also aware of the strong potential for further gunfire and murders in their neighbourhood, with one sharing, "It will never end now."
Several described Chaouk as a "friendly man", although all were aware of his family's criminal reputation and then some. "He was always pleasant to me," one man said. "I guess you don't shit in your own nest."
Detective Superintendent Murray Fraser said that at 10.55am a gunman stepped out of a car in Conifer Avenue and fired several shots through the back gate, killing Chaouk. Attempts were made to revive him, but he was dead as before paramedics arrived.
Quizzed whether inquiries were centred on the family feud, Superintendent Fraser went on record with "That's a fairly obvious inference to draw at the early stages. At this stage there is no evidence that we can really rely on to take that matter any further but we have to look at that as an avenue of inquiry, no doubt . . . and we will obviously have to keep an open mind."
Probed if he thought there would be revenge attacks, he shared "That's an issue that we have to plan for. There has been a history of conflict involving the Chaouk family."
Before yesterday, the most violent make up of that history had been the drive-by murder of Mohammed Haddara in June last year. Chaouk's 22-year-old nephew, Ahmed Hablas, was charged.
Hablas's legal eagle, Alan Swanwick, advised his client feared for his life in custody as members of the Haddara family had vowed to take revenge. Those fears will be heightened considerable be it Chaouk id dead.
Back to the Lygon Street killings, suspicions are of an unrelated drug deal gone to *hit.
Lygon Street may never be quite the same, and no doubt these real life 'Underbelly' happenings are ongoing to boost interest in the Network Nine smash hit. Insiders say they will include the pokies connection, and perhaps also draw upon more history with Crown Casino, having a hard time stopping the rumor mill. The TV version of 'Underbelly' has yet more material to work with, as it prepares to screen the Brisbane and Gold Coast - Surfers' Parasise versions.
Unfortunately this 'Underbelly' themed report is real life and we call for calm.
The Late News...
Crown Casino coopering with Australian state and federal police
Melbourne CBD in lockdown mode
Underbelly happenings boost popularity of The Godfather and Hitman slot games
More arrests likely
Victoria, Mildura - Jewel Casino Proposal Getting To Next Level...
A Mildura based community group will round up the troops and assemble to support a Mildura casino following an impressive presentation from champion casino pitch man and developer Don Carrazza this week. "CasinoMeister" (Media Man tag) Carrazza spoke to more than 50 punters at The Office Wine Bar and Lounge re the positive progress of the Mildura Jewel convention centre project aka Jewel Casino... you got to love those long names and the adds ons to add value. Many people at the meeting responded saying a community group should be established to help gather support for the prop and also gain bi-partisan (both Labor and Liberal parties) support. A subsequent meet up for this Monday was arranged to assemble the passionate mob er group. Carrazza told the gathering Mildura’s community needed to show support for the casino. "Mildura at the moment needs a boost. We lost 60,000 acres of land with irrigation; that’s got to be replaced. If we stuff around for too long the people who want to fund this project will walk away. As a community we have to make these politicians understand what we want" said the likable pitch man.
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Wrap Up...
Readers, do you think the police are tough enough on the real life 'Underbelly' types? Crown Casino should ride off the publicity and get an Underbelly or Kerry Packer themed slot game? What's your predication for the next colourful crime to happen at an Australian land based casino? Should the Mildura Jewel Casino proposal go ahead? What's your favorite casino games and why? Tell us in the forum.
Crown Casino Connection Colourful Crimes...
'Crown Casino Client Ferrari Stolen With Virgin Valet'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-client-ferrari-stolen-virgin-valet-051410.html
'Crown Casino Shaft Man Probed and Charged'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-shaft-man-probed-and-charged-080310.html
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Don't mix your passion for casinos and gaming with crime, and don't do anything we wouldn't do.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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Sunday, August 15, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Crown Casino Chinatown Crime Figures Busted, by Greg Tingle - 13th August 2010
Australian casino news sees the crime theme continue with this report that a major Aussie - Chinatown criminal syndicate has been busted. Casino chips, drugs, guns... you name it. Crown Casino has been attracting colourful and worldwide headlines of late, and this latest turn of events is no exception. Media Man and Gambling911 call on the sniffer dogs. Something fishy in Chinatown and in Crown's VIP mahogany room. Pink Panther, Naked Gun and Heist to the scene...
A Crown Casino VIP high roller and a Chinatown restaurateur personality are accused of heading up a Melbourne crime syndicate targeted by police over the past 48 hours in a series of explosive raids, arrests and record-breaking asset seizures.
The alleged crime bosses of the multi-million dollar Melbourne drug ring that spent massive sums on property, gambling and overseas interests are set to appear in court after overnight out-of-sessions hearing.
Crown Casino high roller Thi Nho Le and husband Thanh Hai Pham, both 46, spent the night in police cells with 6 other alleged members of the syndicate.
Police allege it trafficked more than 30 kilograms of heroin in Melbourne and earned over $20 million in the past 9 months.
Named and known as the Le Syndicate after the family that allegedly controls it, Ms Le's younger sister Thi Nho Em Le, her brother and their partners all faced a court hearing at St Kilda Road police complex early yesterday morning.
Thi Nho Em Le's partner, businessman and restaurateur Kai Sin Mong, is also alleged to be a key player in the syndicate that police state has built a business empire including a Chinatown restaurant and a western-suburbs based petrol station.
The group is accused of manufacturing and distributing large amounts of heroin, from locations including a flat in Napier Street, Fitzroy, laundering money and loaning money to other drug cartels and gamblers.
Detective Acting Sergeant James Cole told the court that members did business at James Packers' Crown Casino's high-roller Mahogany Room, purchased a number of properties and businesses to conceal the proceeds of crime and sent money offshore to Vietnam, including a recent whopping $920,000 money transfer.
This was allegedly used to create a multi-million dollar property portfolio, which may have been kicked along by plans to purchase a United States $2.5 million hotel.
The mob aka triad were among 21 people arrested in a series of raids at properties in Melbourne's western and inner-northern suburbs, including Fitzroy commission flats, after a painstaking 10-month investigation.
The Australian Crime Commission and Victoria Police operation, code-named Sethra, seized an estimated $3 million of heroin and about $20 million in houses and assets - a Victorian record.
All 8 accused, speaking through a Vietnamese interpreter during the out-of-sessions hearing, applied for bail, with most advising they had to care for their children or grandchildren.
Each alleged syndicate member, ages from 32 to 60, was deemed an unacceptable flight risk to say the least.
The court heard that the alleged drug ring operated partly out of the Napier Street commission flats, with Thi Nho Em Le, her brother Muoi Van Le and their partners sharing an apartment.
Detective Acting Sergeant Cole told the hearing that covert surveillance detected people regularly going there to purchase heroin.
One of the accused, Kim Thi Huynh, who lived in a nearby flat, allegedly used a minor (human - not bird breed) to pick up heroin that she then sold to street dealers.
Police allegedly recovered a modest $21,000 from the Le residence in Napier Street in yesterday's raids.
They also are understood to have located $345,970 in cash, $54,500 in Crown Casino chips and 350 grams of heroin.
A raid earlier this month on a Carlton flat linked to the syndicate allegedly netted police around $595,000 in cash, $50,000 in Crown Casino chips and 1.66 kilograms of heroin.
This allegedly prompted Thi Nho Le and her sister to discuss selling the property without ever returning there, in a conversation captured on phone intercepts and relayed to the court.
Thi Nho Le and Thanh Hai Pham, of Keilor Downs, and Thi Nho Em Le, Kai Sin Mong, Muoi Van Le and Nea Thi Pham, of Fitzroy, all face charges relating to trafficking large commercial quantities of a "drug of dependence".
Houng Vo, of Fitzroy, faces one charge of trafficking a large commercial quantity of a drug of dependence while Kim Thi Huynh faces a similar charge along with trafficking a drug of dependence to a child.
They will face Melbourne Magistrates Court, along with four other alleged members of the organisation who were charged with drug related offences in and bailed in.
The syndicate is 1 of many connected multimillion-dollar crime cells targeted by the ACC and police agencies in Melbourne and Sydney in the 7. It's understood only a small amount of these crime fun and and games were covered in Network Nine hit 'Underbelly', next season tipped to cover Brisbane as well as the Gold Coast.
ACC national manager Richard Grant alleged that "this is a group that, not that long ago, we seized 5 blocks of heroin and $645,000 cash and this group didn't miss a heartbeat".
Victoria Police sources advised the operation was successful due to the powers and reach of the small but powerful ACC, which targets Australia's most senior crime figures.
The $40 million in assets expected to be seized in Operation Sethra equates to almost half the ACC's yearly budget! Go the bean counters.
The operation flowed from an earlier ACC inquiry into the movement of suspected drug money offshore via money remitters, international airline staff and bank transfers.
The 2005 inquiry, code-named Gordian-Katakan, confirmed that the majority of illicit drug shipments enter down under Australia undetected and are then distributed for massive profits, often sent offshore. The inquiry uncovered more than a dozen drug-trafficking cells operating down the east coast, netting hundreds of millions of dollars.
Victoria Police Detective Inspector Doug Potter said further arrests would be made.
"The syndicate that has been operating in Melbourne has international links and we will be following up a number of inquiries in regards to those links."
Crown Casino powers that be have been cooperating with Police and the crime syndicate arrests are music to the ears of Crown. The Mahogany Room will not miss the alleged triad element.
A leak advised, "Crown loves their whales and high rolling VIPs, but not those engaged in criminal enterprises. Crown is focused on a total entertainment experience and undesirables are not welcome. It's been out pleasure to assist Australian and international law enforcement agencies".
Crown Casino is considering if they should upgrade their casino chips policy and procedures.
The Late News...
Crown Casino (and Burswood Entertainment Complex in WA) budgets to further open up, partly in response to aggressive moves and counter strike by Australia's other gaming giant, Tabcorp. Crown Casino is playing its cards right with Australian government powers that be. Crown Casino security is frequently reviewed and a repeat case of a client's Ferrari been nicked has odds of about 1 in a million, so the Crown bar talk says. Crown is aware that Aussie punters would like to see an online and / or offline Kerry Packer, 'Underbelly', and Mark Webber - Red Bull themed slot game. PartyGaming NextGen Gaming and IGT online games are on the radar of Crown Limited. PartyPoker b2b online poker satellite qualifiers likely to start again circa November 2010, ready for January 2011 'Aussie Millions'. PartyGaming is tipped to give away more Aston Martin's and Maserati's following the PartyCasino 'Grand Win Auto' and PartyPoker 'Drive The Dream' promotions, but Media Man and others reckon Party should get a deal in place with Ferrari pronto.
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Wrap Up...
Readers, do you think Crown Casino should ride off the publicity and get an Underbelly or Kerry Packer themed slot game? What's your predication for the next colourful crime to happen at an Australian land based casino? Should online casinos like PartyCasino, PKR Casino and Virgin Casino plug more into the casino crime connection? Tell us in the forum or jump on Twitter and see if you can create your own version of Twitter-Gate.
Crown Casino Connection Colourful Crimes...
'Crown Casino Client Ferrari Stolen With Virgin Valet'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-client-ferrari-stolen-virgin-valet-051410.html
Background on the Crown Casino shaft man case...
'Crown Casino Shaft Man Probed and Charged'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-shaft-man-probed-and-charged-080310.html
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Don't mix your passion for casinos and gaming with crime, and don't do anything we wouldn't do.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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A Crown Casino VIP high roller and a Chinatown restaurateur personality are accused of heading up a Melbourne crime syndicate targeted by police over the past 48 hours in a series of explosive raids, arrests and record-breaking asset seizures.
The alleged crime bosses of the multi-million dollar Melbourne drug ring that spent massive sums on property, gambling and overseas interests are set to appear in court after overnight out-of-sessions hearing.
Crown Casino high roller Thi Nho Le and husband Thanh Hai Pham, both 46, spent the night in police cells with 6 other alleged members of the syndicate.
Police allege it trafficked more than 30 kilograms of heroin in Melbourne and earned over $20 million in the past 9 months.
Named and known as the Le Syndicate after the family that allegedly controls it, Ms Le's younger sister Thi Nho Em Le, her brother and their partners all faced a court hearing at St Kilda Road police complex early yesterday morning.
Thi Nho Em Le's partner, businessman and restaurateur Kai Sin Mong, is also alleged to be a key player in the syndicate that police state has built a business empire including a Chinatown restaurant and a western-suburbs based petrol station.
The group is accused of manufacturing and distributing large amounts of heroin, from locations including a flat in Napier Street, Fitzroy, laundering money and loaning money to other drug cartels and gamblers.
Detective Acting Sergeant James Cole told the court that members did business at James Packers' Crown Casino's high-roller Mahogany Room, purchased a number of properties and businesses to conceal the proceeds of crime and sent money offshore to Vietnam, including a recent whopping $920,000 money transfer.
This was allegedly used to create a multi-million dollar property portfolio, which may have been kicked along by plans to purchase a United States $2.5 million hotel.
The mob aka triad were among 21 people arrested in a series of raids at properties in Melbourne's western and inner-northern suburbs, including Fitzroy commission flats, after a painstaking 10-month investigation.
The Australian Crime Commission and Victoria Police operation, code-named Sethra, seized an estimated $3 million of heroin and about $20 million in houses and assets - a Victorian record.
All 8 accused, speaking through a Vietnamese interpreter during the out-of-sessions hearing, applied for bail, with most advising they had to care for their children or grandchildren.
Each alleged syndicate member, ages from 32 to 60, was deemed an unacceptable flight risk to say the least.
The court heard that the alleged drug ring operated partly out of the Napier Street commission flats, with Thi Nho Em Le, her brother Muoi Van Le and their partners sharing an apartment.
Detective Acting Sergeant Cole told the hearing that covert surveillance detected people regularly going there to purchase heroin.
One of the accused, Kim Thi Huynh, who lived in a nearby flat, allegedly used a minor (human - not bird breed) to pick up heroin that she then sold to street dealers.
Police allegedly recovered a modest $21,000 from the Le residence in Napier Street in yesterday's raids.
They also are understood to have located $345,970 in cash, $54,500 in Crown Casino chips and 350 grams of heroin.
A raid earlier this month on a Carlton flat linked to the syndicate allegedly netted police around $595,000 in cash, $50,000 in Crown Casino chips and 1.66 kilograms of heroin.
This allegedly prompted Thi Nho Le and her sister to discuss selling the property without ever returning there, in a conversation captured on phone intercepts and relayed to the court.
Thi Nho Le and Thanh Hai Pham, of Keilor Downs, and Thi Nho Em Le, Kai Sin Mong, Muoi Van Le and Nea Thi Pham, of Fitzroy, all face charges relating to trafficking large commercial quantities of a "drug of dependence".
Houng Vo, of Fitzroy, faces one charge of trafficking a large commercial quantity of a drug of dependence while Kim Thi Huynh faces a similar charge along with trafficking a drug of dependence to a child.
They will face Melbourne Magistrates Court, along with four other alleged members of the organisation who were charged with drug related offences in and bailed in.
The syndicate is 1 of many connected multimillion-dollar crime cells targeted by the ACC and police agencies in Melbourne and Sydney in the 7. It's understood only a small amount of these crime fun and and games were covered in Network Nine hit 'Underbelly', next season tipped to cover Brisbane as well as the Gold Coast.
ACC national manager Richard Grant alleged that "this is a group that, not that long ago, we seized 5 blocks of heroin and $645,000 cash and this group didn't miss a heartbeat".
Victoria Police sources advised the operation was successful due to the powers and reach of the small but powerful ACC, which targets Australia's most senior crime figures.
The $40 million in assets expected to be seized in Operation Sethra equates to almost half the ACC's yearly budget! Go the bean counters.
The operation flowed from an earlier ACC inquiry into the movement of suspected drug money offshore via money remitters, international airline staff and bank transfers.
The 2005 inquiry, code-named Gordian-Katakan, confirmed that the majority of illicit drug shipments enter down under Australia undetected and are then distributed for massive profits, often sent offshore. The inquiry uncovered more than a dozen drug-trafficking cells operating down the east coast, netting hundreds of millions of dollars.
Victoria Police Detective Inspector Doug Potter said further arrests would be made.
"The syndicate that has been operating in Melbourne has international links and we will be following up a number of inquiries in regards to those links."
Crown Casino powers that be have been cooperating with Police and the crime syndicate arrests are music to the ears of Crown. The Mahogany Room will not miss the alleged triad element.
A leak advised, "Crown loves their whales and high rolling VIPs, but not those engaged in criminal enterprises. Crown is focused on a total entertainment experience and undesirables are not welcome. It's been out pleasure to assist Australian and international law enforcement agencies".
Crown Casino is considering if they should upgrade their casino chips policy and procedures.
The Late News...
Crown Casino (and Burswood Entertainment Complex in WA) budgets to further open up, partly in response to aggressive moves and counter strike by Australia's other gaming giant, Tabcorp. Crown Casino is playing its cards right with Australian government powers that be. Crown Casino security is frequently reviewed and a repeat case of a client's Ferrari been nicked has odds of about 1 in a million, so the Crown bar talk says. Crown is aware that Aussie punters would like to see an online and / or offline Kerry Packer, 'Underbelly', and Mark Webber - Red Bull themed slot game. PartyGaming NextGen Gaming and IGT online games are on the radar of Crown Limited. PartyPoker b2b online poker satellite qualifiers likely to start again circa November 2010, ready for January 2011 'Aussie Millions'. PartyGaming is tipped to give away more Aston Martin's and Maserati's following the PartyCasino 'Grand Win Auto' and PartyPoker 'Drive The Dream' promotions, but Media Man and others reckon Party should get a deal in place with Ferrari pronto.
Media Man Profiles
Australia
Crown Casino
Ferrari
Australian Casinos
Aussie Millions
PartyPoker.com
PartyGaming
Wrap Up...
Readers, do you think Crown Casino should ride off the publicity and get an Underbelly or Kerry Packer themed slot game? What's your predication for the next colourful crime to happen at an Australian land based casino? Should online casinos like PartyCasino, PKR Casino and Virgin Casino plug more into the casino crime connection? Tell us in the forum or jump on Twitter and see if you can create your own version of Twitter-Gate.
Crown Casino Connection Colourful Crimes...
'Crown Casino Client Ferrari Stolen With Virgin Valet'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-client-ferrari-stolen-virgin-valet-051410.html
Background on the Crown Casino shaft man case...
'Crown Casino Shaft Man Probed and Charged'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-shaft-man-probed-and-charged-080310.html
Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Don't mix your passion for casinos and gaming with crime, and don't do anything we wouldn't do.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Gunned Down Casino Model Holly Graham Finally Faces Crazed Ex In Court, by Greg Tingle
Australian casino news remains all the rage, with crime, revamps and politics dominating the news. Today we update you on Australia's Star City Casino gunman and the ex casino model who is moving forward with her life, beating the odds. Media Man and Gambling911 give you a front row seat at the courtroom.
Star City Casino Gunman Stared Down In Court; Ex Casino Model Moves Forward With Life...
Former model Holly Graham has faced the violent and crazed ex-boyfriend who aimed a hand gun at her and opened fire at Sydney's Star City Casino.
This was the first time the 30-year-old former model and fitness instructor had seen Todd Devaney since he attempted to murder her on 5th May 2008.
She was overheard whispering to her parents that she was "scared". The still attracting and brave Holly said it was important that she was there at the District Court in Sydney when he finally pleaded guilty to the crime.
Holly had not seen the mongrel for close to 5 years on the day she was shot, having cut off their troubled relationship in August 2004.
One needs little imagine to how frightened Holly was when he suddenly emerged inside the exclusive Star City gym, accessible only by members and casino guests.
Devaney proceed to move his right hand from behind his back and revealed a gun, which he cold bloodily pointed at the middle of Holly's, "like something out of the movies", before shooting 3 rounds.
The then casino model turned and ran for her life, "never been so scared".
Round 1 passed through her ribs and a 2nd shattered a glass window. The 3rd hit Holly's lower abdomen and exited close to her right hip.
She was certain death was coming with medical records documenting she was extremely lucky to have not passed away.
Evidence emerged that a casino cleaner who witnessed the shooting advised Devaney turned towards him after opening fire "seeming confident and not afraid as he placed the pistol into his backpack and walked to the fire exit door."
On his way out of the casino he has the nerve to ask a staff member for directions, this time appearing "breathless". Soon after police cornered him in a nearby street where he was sweating profusely and had put on a fake moustache and beard attempting to hide this true identity. Needless to say it didn't work.
In the crims clothing were 3 guns, a latex face mask, a police badge and a set of rosary beads.
A police search of his backpack revealed yet another another police badge, multiple rounds of ammunition, gloves, a balaclava, a black wig and two Star City swipe cards - one to access the gym.
He had gone to some effort to plan and get away with the murder, however his devious vision had been foiled. He was known to be a dangerous and edgy individual and some people were not surprised the evil one has attempted such a crime.
Devaney pleaded guilty to shooting Holly with intent to murder her and 3 counts of possessing an unauthorised firearm.
Outside the court, with a brave smile, Holly said she was lucky to have made a full recovery and that seeing Devaney again had been "nerve-wracking".
"I'm very, very happy he has pleaded guilty. I wanted to hear the words. It means he accepted what he did. I just hope he's put away for a long time."
Happy Holly said she had to summon all of her courage to see him and was helped by her parents and a male friend.
Those close to the former model advise she is moving forward with her life in leaps and bounds.
Media Man has confirmed that security at Star City has been beefed up considerably at the premises since the shooting.
Devaney will be sentenced in red October.
Greg Tingle of Media Man Int. is a Special Contributor to the Gambling911.com Website
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Star City Casino Gunman Stared Down In Court; Ex Casino Model Moves Forward With Life...
Former model Holly Graham has faced the violent and crazed ex-boyfriend who aimed a hand gun at her and opened fire at Sydney's Star City Casino.
This was the first time the 30-year-old former model and fitness instructor had seen Todd Devaney since he attempted to murder her on 5th May 2008.
She was overheard whispering to her parents that she was "scared". The still attracting and brave Holly said it was important that she was there at the District Court in Sydney when he finally pleaded guilty to the crime.
Holly had not seen the mongrel for close to 5 years on the day she was shot, having cut off their troubled relationship in August 2004.
One needs little imagine to how frightened Holly was when he suddenly emerged inside the exclusive Star City gym, accessible only by members and casino guests.
Devaney proceed to move his right hand from behind his back and revealed a gun, which he cold bloodily pointed at the middle of Holly's, "like something out of the movies", before shooting 3 rounds.
The then casino model turned and ran for her life, "never been so scared".
Round 1 passed through her ribs and a 2nd shattered a glass window. The 3rd hit Holly's lower abdomen and exited close to her right hip.
She was certain death was coming with medical records documenting she was extremely lucky to have not passed away.
Evidence emerged that a casino cleaner who witnessed the shooting advised Devaney turned towards him after opening fire "seeming confident and not afraid as he placed the pistol into his backpack and walked to the fire exit door."
On his way out of the casino he has the nerve to ask a staff member for directions, this time appearing "breathless". Soon after police cornered him in a nearby street where he was sweating profusely and had put on a fake moustache and beard attempting to hide this true identity. Needless to say it didn't work.
In the crims clothing were 3 guns, a latex face mask, a police badge and a set of rosary beads.
A police search of his backpack revealed yet another another police badge, multiple rounds of ammunition, gloves, a balaclava, a black wig and two Star City swipe cards - one to access the gym.
He had gone to some effort to plan and get away with the murder, however his devious vision had been foiled. He was known to be a dangerous and edgy individual and some people were not surprised the evil one has attempted such a crime.
Devaney pleaded guilty to shooting Holly with intent to murder her and 3 counts of possessing an unauthorised firearm.
Outside the court, with a brave smile, Holly said she was lucky to have made a full recovery and that seeing Devaney again had been "nerve-wracking".
"I'm very, very happy he has pleaded guilty. I wanted to hear the words. It means he accepted what he did. I just hope he's put away for a long time."
Happy Holly said she had to summon all of her courage to see him and was helped by her parents and a male friend.
Those close to the former model advise she is moving forward with her life in leaps and bounds.
Media Man has confirmed that security at Star City has been beefed up considerably at the premises since the shooting.
Devaney will be sentenced in red October.
Greg Tingle of Media Man Int. is a Special Contributor to the Gambling911.com Website
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