Former Australian cricketer Stuart MacGill avoids jail over role in $330k cocaine deal [Update@ Post#11]

[MenInG]

Australian cricket great Stuart MacGill has been charged by police after an investigation into a $330,000 cocaine deal.

The cult hero spinner was arrested by police from the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad on Tuesday and has been released on bail, News Corp first reported.

Police will reportedly allege MacGill facilitated a deal between two people where an agreement was reached for 1kg of cocaine to be sold for $330,000 in 2019.

MacGill was in 2021 beaten up before being dumped out of a car, he said during a shock interview last year. NSW Police allege the kidnapping incident is related to the alleged cocaine plot.

The kidnapping incident resulted in the arrests of six men.

“It was not something you’d even like to happen to your worst enemy,” MacGill said last year.

“I didn’t know where we were, I didn’t know where we were going and I was scared.

“From that point, they stripped me naked, beat me up, threatened me and then just dumped me.

“That was over the course of maybe three hours out in the middle of nowhere in a little shed.

“I was scared, I was humiliated and I really didn’t know what was going to happen. Then they chucked me back in the car and dropped me in Belmore, and I didn’t really know where I was then either, to be honest.”

MacGill has previously been interviewed by police about the alleged cocaine deal, but has not been charged until now as a result of new information coming to light, according to News Corp.

The charge carries a potential maximum penalty of life in jail.

He will face Manly Local Court on October 26 charged with one count of taking part in the supply of a large commercial quantity of cocaine.

Former Australian cricketer Stuart MacGill charged over $330k cocaine plot

Former Aussie Test star Stuart MacGill charged over $330k cocaine plot

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[happydavy]

The price for 1 kg, mentioned in the article, don't seem correct though.

 

[Ali T]

Wow that's shocking news !

 

[Asad T]

Wow, it's like a Breaking Bad / Narcos episode. He should have just stuck to coaching.
But I do hope they make a netflix documentary on this one day

 

[sweep_shot]

Damn! Didn't expect him to do this.

 

[Major]

Is it me or do leg spinners always fall in controversy.

Shane Warne and his cases. Yasir Shah and his pedophile case. And now Stuart Mcgill

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

The jury heard that the illicit exchange of Aus$330,000 for a kilogramme of cocaine was struck between MacGill’s regular drug dealer and the former cricketer’s brother-in-law Marino Sotiropoulos.​

Former Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill has been found guilty of facilitating a drug deal between his brother-in-law and a dealer, with the Sydney District Court jury rejecting his claims of merely introducing the two parties.

The 54-year-old was, however, acquitted of a more serious charge of supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug but convicted on a lesser count of participation in the transaction, according to the verdict that came after an eight-day trial in the New South Wales District Court.

The jury heard that the illicit exchange of Aus$330,000 for a kilogramme of cocaine was struck between MacGill’s regular drug dealer and the former cricketer’s brother-in-law Marino Sotiropoulos.

According to Australian media reports, MacGill facilitated the meeting under his restaurant on Sydney’s north shore, where the deal was allegedly set up. Prosecutors argued the deal could not have occurred without MacGill’s prior involvement. His sentencing hearing was adjourned for eight weeks.


The case dates back to April 2021, a period that also saw MacGill claim he was kidnapped and assaulted, allegedly due to the fallout from the drug deal.


MacGill, whose 44-Test career, though distinguished, was often overshadowed by legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne. MacGill amassed 208 wickets in his Test career spanning between 1998 and 2008, but post-retirement his life has been marred by legal troubles and personal controversies.

Former Aussie leggie MacGill found guilty of facilitating drug deal - The Statesman

The jury heard that the illicit exchange of Aus$330,000 for a kilogramme of cocaine was struck between MacGill’s regular drug dealer and the former cricketer's brother-in-law Marino Sotiropoulos.

www.thestatesman.com

 

[Bhaijaan]

I hope Zampa turns out clean. So far he’s just gay.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

I just read about this today. This guy was a top class bowler but his path was blocked by Warnie. What a shame he ended up going down this route.

 

[U$ofA]

Unfortunate for McGill that IPL was not there when he was a player. Rather it was in it's infancy. If it was present day, McGill would never have had the need to get a second "job".

 

[BouncerGuy]

Stuart MacGill avoids jail over role in $330k cocaine deal

Former Test cricketer Stuart MacGill has avoided jail for his role in a $330,000 cocaine deal that was later linked to his kidnapping.

The 54-year-old was found guilty in March of knowingly taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug for introducing his regular cocaine dealer to his partner’s brother.

On Friday, he was sentenced in the NSW District Court to a one-year-and-10-month intensive corrections order.

The court was told MacGill’s introduction of his dealer, known only as “Person A”, to Marino Sotiropoulos led to the exchange of $330,000 for a kilogram of cocaine in April 2021.

With the jury earlier hearing his involvement was limited to that introduction, MacGill was acquitted of the more serious charge of taking part in a large commercial drug supply.

In sentencing MacGill, Judge Nicole Noman found MacGill did not know the amount of cocaine that would be exchanged but “played an indispensable role in the preliminary discussions over a number of days and facilitated the supply by introducing the buyer to the supplier”.

Former Australian Test cricket star Stuart MacGill might still be jailed, but he has been spared a potential life sentence over his role in a $330,000 cocaine deal that led to his violent kidnapping.

“Although his knowledge was limited … his conduct resulted in the supply of one kilogram of cocaine. He did so for no perceived benefit,” she said, referring to MacGill receiving no money from the cocaine deal.

Noman said MacGill maintained his innocence and claimed he had no knowledge that his introduction of “Person A” to Sotiropoulos would result in drug deals.

The former leg-spinner’s trial heard he was spending between $400 and $600 a week on cocaine at the time.

He was a loyal customer to “Person A”, regularly buying half-gram quantities from him for $200, being allowed to rack up a $1000 drug debt and receiving expensive bottles of alcohol as gifts.

But in April 2021, MacGill allegedly complained to “Person A” about the quality of cocaine he was buying, telling him that Sotiropoulos could get him “good gear”.

The $330,000 deal took place in an Ashfield park in Sydney’s inner west.

Days passed since that deal was sealed with no issues when “Person A” ripped off Sotiropoulos’ associates in another deal, the court heard.

“Person A” allegedly received two kilograms of cocaine from the associates and handed them a vacuum-sealed bag of A4 paper that appeared to be cash. He fled with $660,000 worth of drugs and became uncontactable.

MacGill was faced with threats demanding his dealer’s whereabouts or the missing money. This led to his violent kidnapping.

MacGill earlier gave evidence that a group of men shoved him into the back of a car and drove him to Bringelly in Sydney’s south-western outskirts, where they stripped and assaulted, but eventually freed, him.

Days later, he went to police and admitted introducing “Person A” to Sotiropoulos but denied knowledge of the one-kilogram deal, the trial heard.

But the prosecution argued the deal had only been possible with MacGill’s prior involvement.

In choosing to sentence MacGill to a community-based order, the judge said he showed promising prospects of not reoffending and of rehabilitation and that he had seemingly abstained from drug use since his arrest in 2023.

“I’m satisfied that the risk of reoffending in a matter that may affect community safety will be better reduced by an ICO than full-time imprisonment,” she said.

During sentencing submissions, defence barrister Thos Hodgson told the court former Australian Test captain Steve Waugh was among those who submitted positive character references, describing MacGill as “responsible” and “resilient”.

“All referees describe the offender as kind and supportive, particularly in supporting young athletes, playing a quality role in people’s lives,” Hodgson said.

The court heard MacGill remained involved in children’s cricket coaching and received financial support through the government JobSeeker program.

Crown prosecutor Gabrielle Steedman submitted that his conviction would have a “discretionary” impact on his future employment.

Hodgson argued media attention MacGill had faced since his abduction had contributed to his depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder and therefore served as extra-curial punishment.

However, Steedman said the suggestion he had “been followed by the media” or of the use of “telescopic lenses” was not a matter before the court.

“Ordinarily, if media attention is to be a matter of extra-curial punishment, it has to actually affect Mr MacGill in some significant psychological or psychiatric way,” she said.

Speaking outside court, Hodgson said MacGill was pleased to avoid jail but indicated he would consider appealing against his sentence and conviction.

“The judge was obviously very concerned about cocaine and drug use and the like, but she was prepared to give Mr MacGill the benefit of the doubt, particularly considering what he had gone through, what he suffered with the kidnapping.”

Under MacGill’s intensive correction order, he must submit to supervision by Community Corrections, perform 495 hours of community service, participate in any psychological treatment recommended by Community Corrections, and engage in any drug or alcohol program – including giving urine samples – as directed by Community Corrections.

SOURCE: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...ole-in-330k-cocaine-deal-20250508-p5lxo5.html

 

[Savak]

A lot of these former players are probably used to living high maintenance lifestyles as they did during their peak playing days.

Once their careers are over and their income from the game dries up, they are pushed to crime to maintain the lifestyle

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Aussie ATG leggies loving the snow