分类： crime

A memorial service meant to honor a slain young Australian organized crime figure descended into chaos on Saturday afternoon, when attackers unleashed a barrage of gunfire from a moving SUV into the western Sydney venue hosting the service. The violent incident unfolded at Diamond Venues in Punchbowl, where friends and family had gathered to remember 24-year-old Lorenzo Lemalu, a man law enforcement links to a senior leadership role in the Coconut Cartel, a notorious Sydney-based underworld syndicate.

Lemalu’s funeral came two weeks after he was fatally shot outside a seafood restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on May 21. To date, Vietnamese authorities have arrested and charged two Samoan nationals in connection with his killing, with investigators stating the pair were acting on orders from a suspect based outside the country.

New South Wales Police confirmed that the shooting at the funeral occurred shortly after 2:20 p.m. Witness accounts and circulating footage show that the unidentified attackers fired from a passing SUV before immediately fleeing the suburban neighborhood. Remarkably, no attendees or bystanders were harmed in the attack, despite video evidence capturing more than 24 rounds being fired at the venue’s upper level. Within a short time of the shooting, officers located the suspected getaway vehicle fully engulfed in flames, a common tactic used by organized crime groups to destroy forensic evidence.

Graphic video of the attack was published online by crime-focused media outlet SCN WorldStar. Audio captured in the footage reveals the attackers coordinating the strike: a gloved, hooded passenger in the back of the SUV opens fire on the building, while the driver urges him on, saying “Keep going, keep going,” before yelling to flee once the shooting stops.

Lemalu’s formal burial was scheduled to take place the following day, Sunday, after the interrupted memorial service. The attack has underscored the ongoing violent rivalries playing out between Australian organized crime groups, even extending across borders and disrupting funeral services for fallen members.

As excitement builds for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first expanded 48-team iteration of the world’s biggest football tournament set to kick off across 16 host cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada on June 11, cybercriminals and offline fraudsters are exploiting widespread fan enthusiasm and sky-high official ticket prices to run a growing wave of scams, law enforcement and cybersecurity researchers have warned.

The tournament, which will feature 104 matches over the course of the competition, has already faced widespread criticism over its official ticketing structure, with record-high prices pushing many casual and passionate fans out of the market for official entry. This gap has created a perfect opportunity for malicious actors, who have built a sprawling network of fake platforms targeting fans searching for discounted tickets and official merchandise outside of FIFA’s accredited sales channels. Experts note that this large-scale, pre-event scam operation has become the “new normal” for major global sporting events.

Last week, the FBI issued an urgent public warning, flagging more than 30 fraudulent domains crafted to mimic FIFA’s official website. These sites, which use deceptive URLs including “fifa-ticket.live” and “fifaworldcup26.sale”, are designed to either steal sensitive personal and financial information from visitors or sell non-existent tickets that fans will be unable to use at the tournament.

Singapore-based cybersecurity firm Group-IB has uncovered an even larger coordinated scam operation, identifying more than 4,300 fraudulent domains registered since August that falsely claim affiliation with FIFA. Researchers added that more than 300 of these fake sites are operated by a single Chinese-speaking actor, and the majority of the domains remain dormant for now, primed to activate as the tournament draws closer and demand for tickets surges.

“Scammers exploit fan excitement, limited ticket availability and the fear of missing out, knowing people may lower their guard when an opportunity feels exclusive or time-sensitive,” Justin Miller, associate professor of practice of cyber studies at the University of Tulsa, told Agence France-Presse. “Cybercriminals follow attention, urgency and money, and the World Cup sits at the intersection of all three. It has become easier for increasingly sophisticated bad actors to imitate trusted brands than it is to break through modern digital security systems, which is why these lookalike sites have become so common.”

The fraudulent platforms are built with surprising sophistication, closely replicating the layout and branding of FIFA’s official ticketing portal, complete with official World Cup branding and logos from FIFA’s official payment partner Visa. Many feature fully functional interfaces that let visitors browse match schedules, select seats, and proceed through checkout, making it hard for casual fans to spot the deception.

An AFP review of dozens of now-removed social media advertisements found multilingual campaigns hosted on Meta platforms that directed users to scam ticketing pages like “fifa.house”. Romania-based cybersecurity firm Bitdefender also recently detected 55 active football-related scam ad campaigns on Meta’s platforms, which not only promoted fake tickets but also non-existent official merchandise and limited-edition collectibles.

A Meta spokesperson said the company has already begun implementing safeguards, adding pop-up warnings for Facebook users searching for World Cup tickets. The company also confirmed it has dismantled a network of accounts linked to spoofed FIFA sites that promoted fake gambling content.

Beyond ticket and merchandise scams, some bad actors have expanded their operations to target job seekers hoping to land temporary roles at the tournament. These scams use names and profile photos stolen from real FIFA employees on LinkedIn to create fake recruitment offers, with one actual FIFA staff member publicly warning about the identity theft on the professional platform back in April.

Offline fraud is also on the rise ahead of the tournament. On Monday, Toronto police announced they had seized more than 16,000 counterfeit World Cup jerseys and flags, alongside two fake replica World Cup trophies, in a recent raid.

Authorities across all three North American host countries have issued coordinated guidance for fans, urging anyone planning to attend the tournament to only purchase tickets and merchandise through FIFA-verified sales channels, double-check website URLs for subtle typos or unusual domain extensions, and approach seemingly too-good-to-be-true offers on social media with extreme caution.

Nearly 30 years after a brazen armed robbery left three people shot at one of Melbourne’s busiest shopping centers, a former Australian rugby league world champion has been extradited and charged in connection with the high-profile cold case, with court documents revealing serious underlying health issues that complicate legal proceedings.

Seventy-eight-year-old Garry Leslie Sullivan, a member of Australia’s 1970 Rugby League World Cup-winning squad and a former Newtown club player, made his first official appearance at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday. The appearance came one week after authorities extradited him from Southport on Queensland’s Gold Coast, closing a decades-long search for suspects in the 1994 heist.

Wearing a plain black long-sleeve T-shirt and with a full grey beard, Sullivan sat silently in the dock throughout the short hearing, flanked by court security personnel, and was not called on to enter a plea or address the bench.

The charges against Sullivan stem from the May 16, 1994, robbery of an Armaguard cash-in-transit truck at Chadstone Shopping Centre in Malvern East. Investigators allege two Armaguard staff had entered the cinema complex to collect weekend ticket revenue when they were confronted just after 11:40 a.m. as they exited the building. The suspect, described as wearing a fawn-colored balaclava and armed with a handgun, was carrying a cardboard box and ordered the guards to “Get down, drop the money,” court documents outline.

When one guard refused to comply, he was shot in the leg; the bullet ricocheted off his body and struck the shoe of the second guard, causing minor injury to the second employee. A 40-year-old bystander who followed the masked suspect as he fled the parking garage with two large bags of cash was also shot in the leg, investigators allege. The suspect dropped a cardboard box at the scene containing one bag of cash, a stolen service weapon belonging to one of the Armaguard guards, and other undisclosed evidence.

Victoria Police announced last month that the long-dormant cold case investigation had been reopened following the emergence of new intelligence, leading directly to Sullivan being charged on May 21, prosecutors told the court.

As the case moves forward, law enforcement officials confirmed they plan to rely on audio recordings from a covert listening device and court-authorized telephone intercepts as key evidence in their prosecution. Prosecutors have requested an extended three-month adjournment to allow time for all of these recordings to be professionally transcribed and reviewed, a request the court has considered alongside the defense’s concerns over the defendant’s health.

Sullivan’s defense attorney told the court that their client has multiple serious chronic health conditions that require urgent care while he remains in pre-trial custody. These include an active cancer diagnosis, coronary artery disease, osteoporosis, and coeliac disease, an autoimmune disorder that requires a strict lifelong gluten-free diet. The court heard that Sullivan has not eaten for several days, as correctional facilities have not yet been able to provide him with appropriate gluten-free meals to accommodate his condition.

Sullivan has been formally remanded in custody, and is scheduled to return to Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for his next procedural hearing on October 13.

In a high-profile case that has sparked global outrage and grief among bereaved families, 60-year-old former Canadian chef Kenneth Law has entered guilty pleas to 14 counts of aiding suicide, avoiding trial on more severe murder charges that prosecutors abandoned amid questions of legal certainty. Law, who operated a sprawling underground online network connecting vulnerable people to lethal suicide materials across 41 countries, appeared before a Newmarket, Ontario court north of Toronto on Friday, where he publicly acknowledged his role in facilitating 14 Canadian residents’ deaths. Prosecutors confirmed they could not pursue a viable murder conviction case, leaving victim families divided between bitter disappointment and cautious hope for closure. Law’s illicit operation, which first drew international attention after his 2023 arrest, targeted people experiencing severe psychological distress through dedicated online forums. On these platforms, he shared step-by-step guidance on ending one’s own life and sold packages of fatal substances—most commonly sodium nitrite—for roughly $80 per shipment, according to a 60-page agreed statement of facts prosecutors read into the court record. Law shipped more than 330 of these lethal packages to customers in the United Kingdom alone, with additional deliveries sent to destinations including Australia, China, France and Brazil. Canadian prosecutors initially brought dual charges: 14 counts of murder and 14 counts of aiding suicide. However, following an assessment of the legal landscape, they determined they could not secure a murder conviction. Dalhousie University law professor Robert Currie explained that prosecutors had waited for Canada’s Supreme Court to clarify whether aiding suicide could legally qualify as murder in a separate pending case. When the high court declined to address the question, prosecutors concluded there was no clear path to a guilty murder verdict. Sentencing for Law is scheduled for a separate hearing, expected to take place in September. During that proceeding, victim families will have the opportunity to deliver impact statements, and British authorities confirmed the 79 confirmed Law-linked deaths in the UK will be factored into the Canadian court’s sentencing decision. UK’s National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service have also confirmed they will not pursue separate prosecution against Law in the UK, a decision they say has been explained in full to affected British families. The decision to drop murder charges has left many families feeling betrayed and demanding greater accountability. David Parfett, a leading advocate for stricter regulation of harmful online content whose 22-year-old son Thomas died by suicide in 2021 using materials supplied by Law, called the outcome a missed opportunity to recognize the full severity of Law’s actions. “If (Law) hadn’t been offering detailed instructions about how to take your own life, then the chances are my son would still be here. So again, for me, it’s murder,” Parfett told reporters. He has echoed repeated calls from families across the UK for a full public inquiry into how Law’s operation was allowed to operate undetected for years, saying if British officials will not put anyone on trial for the deaths, the least they can do is investigate the systemic failures that enabled the harm. Other bereaved family members, while still grappling with unspeakable loss, say the guilty plea marks a long-awaited first step toward healing. Kim Prosser, whose 2023 son Ashtyn died by suicide just weeks before Law’s arrest, was in court for Friday’s hearing. Law’s guilty plea covers Ashtyn’s death, and Prosser said the proceeding opens a new chapter in her long journey toward healing. “To be at the courthouse on Friday and to sit there… it’s a beginning to another chapter of this process of healing,” she said. Legal experts note that the charge of aiding suicide is still a serious offense in Canada, carrying a possible prison sentence of between 10 and 20 years. The case has already spurred calls for updates to Canadian and UK legislation to crack down on online networks that facilitate harm and suicide, as policymakers grapple with how to regulate dangerous content spread across unmoderated digital platforms.

In the aftermath of the devastating December 14 mass shooting at Bondi Beach that left 15 people dead, two shocking new criminal cases have unfolded in Australia, drawing widespread public attention. The first case centers on a 35-year-old working photographer who was present at the fatal Hanukkah event targeted by two gunmen. New South Wales Police allege that the man stole professional camera equipment belonging to Peter Meagher, one of the attack’s victims who was a retired police officer and working photojournalist at the time of the shooting. Meagher was killed in the gunfire, and the accused is said to have pawned the stolen gear just days after the attack. Authorities carried out a raid on the suspect’s western Sydney home on Wednesday, where they recovered the stolen camera along with additional items including handcuffs and multiple personal electronic devices. The 35-year-old was taken into custody and formally charged, before being granted strict conditional bail. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance next month. The case is a disturbing development in the wake of the tragedy, which has already shaken Australian communities. In a separate, equally startling case connected to the Bondi Beach attack, two brothers of Ahmed Al Ahmed — the Syrian-Australian shop owner widely hailed as a hero for his actions during the shooting — have been hit with criminal charges over alleged threats and extortion. During the attack, Ahmed rushed to stop one of the gunmen, identified as Sajid Akram, tackling him to the ground and successfully wresting a firearm away from the attacker. For his brave actions, Ahmed was shot multiple times, and he has since undergone multiple reconstructive surgeries on his wounded arm. His courageous intervention earned national acclaim, and a public fundraiser was launched to support his recovery that ultimately raised more than AU$2.5 million, equal to roughly $1.8 million USD or £1.2 million GBP. Following the attack, Ahmed’s two brothers, Hozifa al Ahmed and Sameh al Ahmed, relocated to Australia from overseas and moved into his home, according to court documents filed by prosecutors. Tensions between the siblings eventually deteriorated, prompting Ahmed to move out and relocate to a separate property. Earlier this month, Ahmed lodged an official police report, claiming his brothers had threatened him to force him to hand over a share of the public donation funds. Court documents outline detailed threatening phone calls the brothers are alleged to have made on May 7. During his call, Hozifa reportedly told Ahmed: “I will put your head under my boot, break your other arm, and smash your face. We will only leave if you give us $100,000 each.” Shortly after the first call, Sameh contacted Ahmed with an identical demand, stating: “If you want peace of mind and to be safe, you will give us $100,000 each.” The two brothers appeared in court this Wednesday to face charges of using a carriage service to harass and offend. Both have entered not guilty pleas, and their next court date is scheduled for July. Interim apprehended domestic violence orders have been issued against the pair, requiring them to stay away from Ahmed at all times. In the days after the attack, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese personally visited Ahmed in hospital to recognize his bravery and offer the government’s support. Both cases are now working their way through the New South Wales court system, as the community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in Australia in recent years.

A former medical receptionist from South Australia has been handed a four-year-and-three-month prison sentence after orchestrating a years-long fraud scheme that siphoned nearly $1 million in public funds from Australia’s national healthcare system, Medicare. Lauren Tozer, 43, of Sheidow Park, carried out the deception while working at an Adelaide gynaecologist’s clinic, abusing her access to the practice’s official computer system to submit hundreds of false benefit claims between September 2020 and July 2024.

South Australia’s District Court heard that Tozer crafted the scheme to target Medicare, filing claims for treatments and services that were never provided to any patient, and diverted the nearly $997,000 in payouts into a personal bank account that only she controlled. Over the course of her initial offending, which stretched more than three years, Tozer submitted 538 fraudulent claims, steadily escalating the value of each false request to maximize her illegal gains.

The scam nearly came to an end in December 2023, when the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care sent Tozer an official notification of an open investigation into suspicious Medicare claims, inviting her to participate in an interview as part of the probe. Tozer declined the interview and immediately halted her fraudulent activity — but the pause in offending was only temporary. Just six months later, in May 2024, she resumed submitting false claims, adding another $15,892 in illegal payouts between late May and early July 2024, even after being formally alerted to government scrutiny.

Court documents detailed how Tozer spent the stolen public funds on lavish personal spending, splurging thousands of dollars on concert tickets, major sporting event admissions, hotel accommodation, interstate travel, frequent dining out and daily fast food purchases. Records showed she spent more than $11,000 through major Australian ticketing agency Ticketek alone on entertainment and sports between January and September 2023. Bank records also revealed regular spending on retail goods, electronics and gambling, according to court testimony.

Tozer, a mother of four children including two teenage dependents, had previously argued through her legal counsel that a prison sentence would cause undue harm to her minor children. But Judge Nicolas Alexandrides ruled that the scale, duration and calculated nature of the fraud made any non-custodial sentence inappropriate. The judge noted that while Tozer claimed to have hit rock bottom and changed her ways after receiving the 2023 investigation notice, her decision to restart the scam just months later proved she had no genuine intention of ending her criminal activity.

“The amount of money defrauded from the commonwealth is very significant,” Judge Alexandrides told the court during sentencing. “While I accept you experienced difficult financial circumstances, the scale and duration of your offending went well beyond satisfying the immediate needs of yourself and your family. The false claims evolved over the period of the offending in a way that suggests your aim was to maximising return on each payment. This resulted in the escalation of the monetary value of your fraudulence.”

Tozer will be eligible for parole after serving two years and two months of her sentence, after pleading guilty to two counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception.