GARRICK GRAY - SOLICITOR | QURAN-E-HAKIM.NET

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GARRICK GRAY - SOLICITOR

TAX EVASION SPECIALIST

On my page Organized Crime Research Melbourne I make the allegation that the Melbourne- based solicitor Garrick Gray had ties with the notorious Mafia family, the Gambinos, in the United States.

The allegation partly arose because Gray was known to be friends with a former footballer by the name of Jeffrey Leo Patterson. They used to play poker together at reception rooms which were owned by Gray called Nine Darling Street in South Yarra.

While Gray was promoting his syndicate for the construction of a casino in Melbourne and feting the support of the Victorian Premier Dick Hamer, allegations arose that Patterson had received a telegram from Carlo Gambino in New York offering to take a stake in any poker project that he set up.

Patterson was an agent for American poker machine suppliers and was believed to be planning to set up an extensive network of machines that could have proved to be highly lucrative.

Even though it was said that the Gambino’s offer was limited to a stake in the poker machine project it was believed by law enforcement and others that the family's interests would have extended to a stake in any casino established by Gray

According to Wikipedia, Carlo Gambino is reported to have died in October 1976, but it is not clear when the telegram was alleged to have been sent.

The Victorian crime writer, Bob Bottom, makes reference to the telegram in his book 'Inside Victoria'. Copies of the relevant pages are attached. The link is 'Inside Victoria' Bob Bottom.

The references are in chapter 3, the Hamer days, pages 40-41. Even though I have published the pages they are not easy to read so a transcript of the relevant passages about Patterson appears below.

IT READS:

“Indeed, the New York mafia boss fictionalised for Mario Puzo’s book, The Godfather, Carlo Gambino, was negotiating for an interest in a gambling venture in Victoria. Gambino had been courted by Jeffrey Leo Patterson, who that year engaged in an ill-fated attempt to become president of Fitzroy Football Club. A telegram from Gambino to Patterson recovered by police read: ‘Will finance your poker project fully to half million US dollars for fifty per cent your share.’

“As an agent for American suppliers in the poker machine business, Patterson had had the benefit of impressive credentials for his overseas dealings. In October 1978, he obtained a State Government credential issued by Premier Hamer on representations from MLC Dolph Eddy.

“Of course, any government can find itself in an embarrassing position of having given a government imprimatur to individuals whose background may not be known.”

However, in the book 'Inside Victoria' there is no mention of the friendship between Gray and Patterson, nor is there any mention of the fact that they played poker together along with several others at Gray's reception rooms, Nine Darling Street.

What was concerning at the time was that the police raided Nine Darling Street while Gray and his associates were playing poker, but no charges were laid because there was no money on the table.

I cannot now recall with certainty, but I think there were two raids. Even though there was no money on the table the police took the names of all those present.

It was said the police were acting on a tip off about the poker games, but tip offs can work two ways and there is no doubt that Gray knew about the raids in advance. I believe that warning came from Jeff Patterson. That was why there was no money on the table.

From what I recall Patterson was not present at the reception rooms when the raids took place.

[EDITORIAL NOTE: THERE IS AN INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN EARLIER COPY I WROTE IN APRIL 2024 AND TEXT I WROTE RECENTLY, WHICH IS PROBABLY ACCOUNTED FOR BECAUSE I'M VERY TIRED FROM BEING ILL AND AS A RESULT, I AM FORGETFUL.

ON THE 14TH OF APRIL 2024 I WROTE: "Gray's position had been further weakened when at one stage it became known that he and Patterson used to play poker together at Nine Darling Street - reception rooms owned by Gray in South Yarra - and that on one occasion during a 'visit' by police Gray and Patterson had been found to be in the company of known criminals."

RECENTLY I WROTE: ". . . the police raided Nine Darling Street while Gray and his associates were playing poker, but no charges were laid because there was no money on the table.

I cannot now recall with certainty, but I think there were two raids. Even though there was no money on the table the police took the names of all those present.

It was said the police were acting on a tip off about the poker games, but tip offs can work two ways and there is no doubt that Gray knew about the raids in advance. I believe that warning came from Jeff Patterson. That was why there was no money on the table.

From what I recall Patterson was not present at the reception rooms when the raids took place. "

Gray sold Nine Darling Street reception rooms in mid-1979. From what I recall the visit, or raid if you wish to call it that, by the police on the premises took place in either 1977 or 1978, but I must admit I cannot now be certain of the exact date.

Copies of a story published in The Age on the 04th of August 1979 about Gray, headed ‘The man who raised the casino cash’ are attached. It includes a reference to the sale of Nine Darling Street. The links are The Age Gray Casino cash 04 August 1979 FULL PAGE and The Age Gray Casino cash 04 August 1979 STORY.

Despite efforts by several law enforcement officers and journalists, including Marian Wilkinson when she was working at the National Times, no direct links could be proven between Gray and Gambino - none that would stand up in court.

If that had been possible, he would have been immediately struck off by the Law Institute of Victoria.

Victorians were more than lucky that Gray's syndicate failed in its bid to build a casino. If they had the Gambino family would have undoubtedly been there - they could smell money before it was even printed.

One of the reasons I have tried to document the casino issue in the late 1970s isn't just to demonstrate how it divided the community, but to also show the appalling lack of judgement displayed by Dick Hamer in the matter.

The information that Gray had been gambling with Patterson at Nine Darling Street originated with the then Bureau of Criminal Intelligence (BCI) of the Victoria Police.

Obviously, Hamer had a Minister of Police. At the time it was the Deputy Premier, Lindsay Thompson. All Hamer had to do was instruct Thompson to make enquiries with the Victoria Police and he would have quickly found out that Gray was regarded with deep concern.

Not only did they have the copy of the telegram that Patterson had received from Carlo Gambino, but they also had proven links between Gray and Patterson.

Politicians such as Morrie Williams and some of his parliamentary colleagues, especially Don Saltmarsh, were vehemently opposed to Gray's proposed casino and along with some law enforcement officers and journalists saw it as a major threat to the state's stability.

Note that in the headline I have described Gray as a 'tax evasion specialist'. That was his key strength in the legal profession. He specialised in helping wealthy clients avoid paying taxes.

Under Australian federal law, tax evasion is regarded as 'legal'. Providing one can stay within the boundaries of the law, then it is permissible to use all methods to minimise your taxes.

Tax avoidance - compared to tax evasion - is unlawful because it uses nefarious methods to reduce a tax debt.

GARRICK GRAY - SOLICITOR

TAX EVASION SPECIALIST

On my page Organized Crime Research Melbourne I make the allegation that the Melbourne- based solicitor Garrick Gray had ties with the notorious Mafia family, the Gambinos, in the United States.

The allegation partly arose because Gray was known to be friends with a former footballer by the name of Jeffrey Leo Patterson. They used to play poker together at reception rooms which were owned by Gray called Nine Darling Street in South Yarra.

While Gray was promoting his syndicate for the construction of a casino in Melbourne and feting the support of the Victorian Premier Dick Hamer, allegations arose that Patterson had received a telegram from Carlo Gambino in New York offering to take a stake in any poker project that he set up.

Patterson was an agent for American poker machine suppliers and was believed to be planning to set up an extensive network of machines that could have proved to be highly lucrative.

Even though it was said that the Gambino’s offer was limited to a stake in the poker machine project it was believed by law enforcement and others that the family's interests would have extended to a stake in any casino established by Gray

According to Wikipedia, Carlo Gambino is reported to have died in October 1976, but it is not clear when the telegram was alleged to have been sent.

The Victorian crime writer, Bob Bottom, makes reference to the telegram in his book 'Inside Victoria'. Copies of the relevant pages are attached. The link is 'Inside Victoria' Bob Bottom.

The references are in chapter 3, the Hamer days, pages 40-41. Even though I have published the pages they are not easy to read so a transcript of the relevant passages about Patterson appears below.

IT READS:

“As an agent for American suppliers in the poker machine business, Patterson had had the benefit of impressive credentials for his overseas dealings. In October 1978, he obtained a State Government credential issued by Premier Hamer on representations from MLC Dolph Eddy.

“Of course, any government can find itself in an embarrassing position of having given a government imprimatur to individuals whose background may not be known.”

However, in the book 'Inside Victoria' there is no mention of the friendship between Gray and Patterson, nor is there any mention of the fact that they played poker together along with several others at Gray's reception rooms, Nine Darling Street.

What was concerning at the time was that the police raided Nine Darling Street while Gray and his associates were playing poker, but no charges were laid because there was no money on the table.

I cannot now recall with certainty, but I think there were two raids. Even though there was no money on the table the police took the names of all those present.

It was said the police were acting on a tip off about the poker games, but tip offs can work two ways and there is no doubt that Gray knew about the raids in advance. I believe that warning came from Jeff Patterson. That was why there was no money on the table.

From what I recall Patterson was not present at the reception rooms when the raids took place.

[EDITORIAL NOTE: THERE IS AN INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN EARLIER COPY I WROTE IN APRIL 2024 AND TEXT I WROTE RECENTLY, WHICH IS PROBABLY ACCOUNTED FOR BECAUSE I'M VERY TIRED FROM BEING ILL AND AS A RESULT, I AM FORGETFUL.

RECENTLY I WROTE: ". . . the police raided Nine Darling Street while Gray and his associates were playing poker, but no charges were laid because there was no money on the table.

I cannot now recall with certainty, but I think there were two raids. Even though there was no money on the table the police took the names of all those present.

It was said the police were acting on a tip off about the poker games, but tip offs can work two ways and there is no doubt that Gray knew about the raids in advance. I believe that warning came from Jeff Patterson. That was why there was no money on the table.

From what I recall Patterson was not present at the reception rooms when the raids took place. "

Gray sold Nine Darling Street reception rooms in mid-1979. From what I recall the visit, or raid if you wish to call it that, by the police on the premises took place in either 1977 or 1978, but I must admit I cannot now be certain of the exact date.

Despite efforts by several law enforcement officers and journalists, including Marian Wilkinson when she was working at the National Times, no direct links could be proven between Gray and Gambino - none that would stand up in court.

If that had been possible, he would have been immediately struck off by the Law Institute of Victoria.

Victorians were more than lucky that Gray's syndicate failed in its bid to build a casino. If they had the Gambino family would have undoubtedly been there - they could smell money before it was even printed.

One of the reasons I have tried to document the casino issue in the late 1970s isn't just to demonstrate how it divided the community, but to also show the appalling lack of judgement displayed by Dick Hamer in the matter.

The information that Gray had been gambling with Patterson at Nine Darling Street originated with the then Bureau of Criminal Intelligence (BCI) of the Victoria Police.

Obviously, Hamer had a Minister of Police. At the time it was the Deputy Premier, Lindsay Thompson. All Hamer had to do was instruct Thompson to make enquiries with the Victoria Police and he would have quickly found out that Gray was regarded with deep concern.

Not only did they have the copy of the telegram that Patterson had received from Carlo Gambino, but they also had proven links between Gray and Patterson.

Politicians such as Morrie Williams and some of his parliamentary colleagues, especially Don Saltmarsh, were vehemently opposed to Gray's proposed casino and along with some law enforcement officers and journalists saw it as a major threat to the state's stability.

Note that in the headline I have described Gray as a 'tax evasion specialist'. That was his key strength in the legal profession. He specialised in helping wealthy clients avoid paying taxes.

Under Australian federal law, tax evasion is regarded as 'legal'. Providing one can stay within the boundaries of the law, then it is permissible to use all methods to minimise your taxes.

Tax avoidance - compared to tax evasion - is unlawful because it uses nefarious methods to reduce a tax debt.

WEBCOPY 19 NOV 25

WEBCOPY 21 JAN 26

WEBCOPY 17 MAR 26 EDITED AND RESTORED

WEBCOPY 20 MAR 26 MINOR CHANGES W-C

WEBCOPY 01 APR 26 EDITED