Page 1318 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 16 April 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
In attempting to expand his pornographic dealings and US connections, Alexander Gajic instructed Melbourne solicitor Leon Zwier to travel to the United States to buy porn titles for Gajic to distribute in Australia. Among Gajic's written instructions to Zwier was a report on Al Tapper, the president of CPLC. In his instructions to Zwier, Gajic wrote:
Speak to him, he's a top bloke, who virtually controls the West Coast market in pornographic books and accessories. I will be importing books etc. from him as well, as soon as I get more cash together. He knows Australia well, being a friend of Abe Saffron. His attitude is always cash up front.
Leon Zwier was a partner in the firm of solicitors in Melbourne called Harding, Brereton and Shiff, which has since ceased to operate. Expenses in the US and Zwier's fees were paid by Gajic.
It was reported in the National Times newspaper of 6 October 1983 that TAG Video distributed pornographic videos in Australia in connection with Unicorn Video, one of a large network of companies operated by Gerald Gold in Melbourne. The Australian Taxation Office yesterday petitioned for Gold's bankruptcy in the Federal Court.
Gold was associated with Mark Arthur Clarkson. Clarkson was charged with murder after it was alleged that he hired former standover man Christopher Dale Flannery to murder Melbourne barrister Roger Wilson. Clarkson was acquitted of murder, but convicted of fraud in connection with the collapse of the Athena Building Society in Victoria and given a 10-year sentence from which he has recently been paroled. These very people are linked with the X-rated video trade in the ACT.
Clarkson was an associate of Gerald Arthur Hercus, operator of the Canberra-based companies involved in pornography - Leisure Moments International and Leisuremail. In a brief to counsel for the Clarkson trial, Hercus said that he had regularly lent amounts of money totalling some $100,000 to Clarkson and that he, Hercus, was also a business acquaintance of Gerry Gold.
Gerry Gold made use of a corrupt accountant, Charles Maxwell McCready, to assist in Gold's money laundering activities. This was revealed in evidence to the Costigan royal commission and continued until McCready was arrested for conspiring to free two drug offenders from Pentridge prison with a helicopter. The plan involved landing a helicopter on the tennis courts one Sunday lunchtime and departing with criminals on board. McCready was convicted and sentenced to seven years in Pentridge prison. There would have to be some ironic justice in that.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .