NSW

Save
Print
License article

Global fugitive to be extradited over people smuggling tragedy after serving NSW jail term

61 reading now

An international fugitive who stole almost half a million dollars during an ATM cracking spree in NSW will face extradition to Europe over his role in a deadly people smuggling operation.

The dramatic and movie-script like life of Aniello Vinciguerra was revealed earlier this year as the 37-year-old was awaiting sentence for a string of sophisticated thefts.

Within days of arriving in Australia on a fake Italian passport in 2014, the father-of-three joined a group of Albanian men in breaking open ATMs.

The Albanians - Simon Sheu, George Nika and Marsel Boka - had already stolen thousands of dollars from ATMs in other states before Vinciguerra joined their spree in September, 2014.

The sophisticated modus operandi often involved cutting holes in the roofs and walls of shopping centres or businesses and slashing wires to CCTV systems and communication.

The group carried out reconnaissance at ATMs during the day before returning at night with oxyacetylene torches to blow them open.

Advertisement

In the early hours of September 27, 2014, a security guard at the Parklea Markets in Sydney's north-west spotted flames and smoke coming from a Commonwealth Bank ATM and saw people trying to cut open the machine.

When the guard confronted the men, Vinciguerra told him: "Brother I will give you money if you don't tell anyone".

Instead, the guard called police.

Over the course of the spree that Vinciguerra was involved in - stretching from the Hunter Valley to the South Coast - they got away with $440,000.

The group documented their road trip to the Northern Territory, via South Australia, taking happy snaps at various tourist spots - including an underground Serbian church in Coober Pedy and at an outback road sign.

Unbeknown to them, they were under surveillance. Police arrested the group in December, 2014, after they were spotted scoping out ATMs in Darwin.

At the time, Nika was the subject of arrest warrants in America for similar offences committed under a fake name in the late 2000s, it is understood.

Nika, Sheu and Boka pleaded guilty to the NSW offences while Vinciguerra, a man with three identities who spoke 11 languages, fought the charges.

Even after conviction on 16 offences, the Kosovo-born man protested his innocence during his sentence in the Downing Centre District Court last Friday.

"With all due respect your honour, I came to Australia not to commit crime," he said.

"I am not guilty in this matter your honour."

Vinciguerra stood up in the dock mid-way through the hearing and proclaimed "freedom of speech" with one hand in the air before he pulled out bundles of documents from a large plastic bag.

"I am human just like everybody, they deserve the respect of freedom of speech," he said.

He then began a rambling lecture about international law, double jeopardy and innocence.

Unfortunately, Judge Paul Lakatos SC explained, he had already determined Vinciguerra was guilty after trial.

"The fact you say it four or five times, doesn't help," he said.

While the modus operandi had already been established before Vinciguerra arrived in Australia, Judge Lakatos found he became actively involved in the criminal group.

Judge Lakatos also found that Vinciguerra - known to family as Bekim Zogaj - was "not being frank with the court" about his role in a botched people smuggling operation in 2001.

Vinciguerra told a psychiatrist that members of the "Albanian mafia" co-opted him to get involved in the "manslaughter stuff".

However, the court heard Vinciguerra was intricately involved in putting 13 refugees in the back of a shipping container, which was transported from Italy to Ireland.

After four or five days travelling across Europe in the middle of winter, eight people died.

Vinciguerra became the subject of an Interpol arrest warrant after he went on the run and was convicted by a Belgium court in his absence.

Once Vinciguerra finishes his jail term in Australia, he may be extradited to see out his remaining eight year and 10 month jail term in Europe.

Vinciguerra was sentenced to a maximum of 15 years' jail with a non-parole period of 10 years for the NSW offences.

His co-accused, Nika, Sheu and Boka, have already been jailed for 12, 11 and 14 years respectively.

Property Crime Squad Detective Inspector Gary Hutchen said the investigation was "complex and comprehensive" and involved four other police organisations, the FBI and Interpol.