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Alleged cartel links revealed as surfers' murder case delayed

Alleged cartel links revealed as surfers' murder case delayed

Two men charged with the murders of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson in Mexico have been transferred to a maximum-security prison due to their alleged ties to organised crime, court documents have revealed.
A judge has delayed two planned hearings and the matter is now due to return to court next week.
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‘In shock': Ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein again accuses Donald Trump of misconduct
‘In shock': Ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein again accuses Donald Trump of misconduct

Daily Telegraph

time5 hours ago

  • Daily Telegraph

‘In shock': Ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein again accuses Donald Trump of misconduct

Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News. An ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein has resurfaced her claim that Donald Trump 'groped' her during a meeting with the sex trafficker in the early 1990s, saying the alleged incident left her 'frozen' and 'in shock'. Stacey Williams, now 57, dated Epstein more than 30 years ago, long before he was first arrested for his sex crimes. The incident she recalls, allegedly involving Mr Trump, happened in 1993. She spoke about it before last year's presidential election, and is now bringing attention to it again amid the renewed controversy around the Epstein files. Stacey Williams at a Sports Illustrated promo event in 1996. Picture: Evan Agostini/Liaison 'They were best friends,' Ms Williams claimed of Mr Trump and Epstein during an interview with CNN today. 'I dated Jeffrey for a period of, more or less, I think about four or five months. And the only friend that he would mention every time we saw each other, or had a phone conversation, was Donald. They were very close, and they were up to no good. 'It was such a long time ago. But that was his bro, that was his wingman.' CNN host Brianna Keilar noted that her network had spoken to three friends of Ms Williams, who said she had spoken to them about the alleged incident contemporaneously, many years before Mr Trump entered politics. 'I want to point out that I was polygraphed, before I did all this, by one of the most renowned examiners in the world,' Ms Williams said. She also pointed to Epstein's testimony in interviews with the author Michael Wolff. 'Jeffrey confirmed to Michael what the two of them did to me,' she claimed. Ms Williams in 1994, close to the time of the alleged incident. Picture Eric Weiss/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images Ms Williams in February of this year. Picture:'I was dating Jeffrey, and he was always talking about Donald. It was his bestie and everything. And he was joking about how Donald thought I was hot, or whatever,' she told Ms Keilar, recalling the alleged incident. 'He said, 'Let's stop in and see him.' So we went up to his office at Trump Tower. And within a couple of minutes, Donald was outside his office, and his hands were all over me. They were on my breasts, they were on my butt, they were on my hips, up and down. 'The two of them kept having a normal conversation.' Ms Williams spoke of how 'shocking' the experience was. 'When that happens in broad daylight, in an office, with assistants walking back and forth, you're in shock,' she said. 'If it happens in a dark alleyway, you fight back. But when it's brazen like that, which is Donald Trump's forte, you go into shock. 'So I froze. And it was over very quickly, it was a few minutes. And then we got back in the elevator, and Jeffrey's energy had changed.' She said Epstein was 'enraged' by the incident and, shouting, asked, 'Why would you let him do that?' once they were outside the building. Her interpretation was that Epstein expected her to resist more and was angry when she 'froze'. Ms Williams in 2004. Picture: Jason Nevader/WireImage for Sports Illustrated This all echoes an interview Ms Williams gave during last year's election campaign, which Mr Trump's spokespeople dismissed as 'fake' at the time. 'The second he was in front of me, he pulled me into him,' said Ms Williams. 'And his hands were just on me, and didn't come off. Then the hands started moving, and they were on the side of my breasts, down to my hips, back down to my butt, back up. They were just on me the whole time. And I ... sorry. I froze.' Ms Williams said she believed the incident was 'some kind of weird, twisted game' between Mr Trump and Epstein, whom she said allegedly 'smiled at each other' while it was happening. 'It's obvious this fake story was contrived by Kamala Harris's campaign,' Karoline Leavitt, who is now Mr Trump's White House Press Secretary, said at the time. Donald Trump. Picture: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP According to Ms Williams, Mr Trump sent her agent a postcard later in 1993, after the alleged incident. On its front was an aerial view of his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. 'Stacey: Your home away from home. Love, Donald,' he wrote on the back. Ms Williams alleged she was 'berated' by Epstein after the encounter. 'Jeffrey and I left and he didn't look at me or speak to me, and I felt this seething rage around me, and when we got down to the sidewalk, he looked at me and just berated me, and said why did you do that?' she recounted. 'He made me feel so disgusting, and I remember being so utterly confused. 'I felt shame and disgust and as we went our separate ways. I felt this sensation of revisiting it, while the hands were all over me. 'And I had this horrible pit in my stomach that it was somehow orchestrated. I felt like a piece of meat.' Mr Trump has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct since he entered politics a decade ago. In 2023, however, he was found liable in civil court for sexually assaulting the author E. Jean Carroll, and was ordered to pay millions of dollars in damages. The judge in that case found that Mr Trump 'digitally raped Ms Carroll'. Mr Trump appealed the ruling, but that appeal was denied earlier this month. Ms Williams alongside other models in 2004. Picture:The President's personal conduct came into sharper focus, this past fortnight, after his hand-picked officials in the Justice Department and FBI reneged on their previous promises to release the so-called 'Epstein files'. Mr Trump was a friend of Epstein for about 15 years, but no evidence has ever emerged to implicate him in the sex trafficker's crimes. This week The Wall Street Journal published a story alleging Mr Trump wrote Epstein a gaudy birthday message in 2003. The note, printed inside an outline of a naked woman, said Mr Trump hoped 'every day (may) be another wonderful secret'. The President has called the note 'fake' and launched defamation proceedings against the newspaper. He has also instructed the Justice Department to release a small number of Epstein-related documents. 'I have asked the Justice Department to release all Grand Jury testimony with respect to Jeffrey Epstein, subject only to Court Approval,' said Mr Trump today. 'With that being said, and even if the Court gave its full and unwavering approval, nothing will be good enough for the troublemakers and radical left lunatics making the request. It will always be more, more, more. MAGA!' Grand jury testimony only involves evidence offered in an attempt to move a prosecution forward, which in this case means it will almost exclusively relate to Epstein and his chief co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. That testimony will not implicate Epstein's unindicted co-conspirators, and indeed the Justice Department has requested, in its filing, that third parties remain unidentified. Originally published as 'In shock': Ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein again accuses Donald Trump of misconduct

Coastal haven rocked: The alleged home invasion that ended in murder
Coastal haven rocked: The alleged home invasion that ended in murder

News.com.au

time18 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Coastal haven rocked: The alleged home invasion that ended in murder

Zdravko 'Zed' Bilic was likely enjoying a peaceful Sunday night in, unwinding alone inside his beachside Warana home just metres from the shore. But within hours, the 57-year-old would be fatally stabbed, allegedly confronting two teenage intruders. A horrifying act that has shattered his family, stunned the community and led to two boys being charged with murder. Police allege Mr Bilic was confronted by two teenage boys, aged 15 and 17, who had broken into the Napalle St property about 11.30pm on July 13. According to detectives, the boys stole the keys to Mr Bilic's car and, during a confrontation, stabbed him twice in the abdomen. Mr Bilic's wife, skincare business founder Gry Tomte, was interstate on a business trip at the time and became concerned when she couldn't reach him. She asked a neighbour to check in. What the neighbour found the following evening, about 7.30pm on Monday, was devastating: Mr Bilic's body lying on the front lawn. Authorities believe he may have been there for several hours. Sunshine Coast Detective Inspector Chris Toohey told media the altercation appeared to have begun inside the house before spilling onto the front yard. 'As a result of that altercation, he received two fatal stab wounds,' Inspector Toohey said. Mr Bilic, originally from Europe, was a deeply loved figure on the Sunshine Coast, known for his kind nature, volunteer work as a junior soccer coach and infectious positivity. His death has left a gaping hole in the lives of many. His wife of more than two decades, Ms Tomte, has spoken openly about the unimaginable heartache she now faces. 'There is no way I can capture the immense grief I feel over losing the most beautiful man … he was my everything,' she said on social media. In a formal statement released via police, she described him as 'the kindest, gentlest person I've ever known'. 'He was my entire world for 28 years … The world is a little less bright without him in it,' Ms Tomte said. The heartbreak she now carries is shared across the community. Tributes have poured in from friends, neighbours and teammates from Mr Bilic's local soccer clubs, where he was fondly known as 'Zed'. One teammate remembered him as a 'beautiful man with a smile and presence that would light up a room'. Another said, 'You couldn't not like him.' 'His smile and his sparkly eyes made you comfortable the minute you met him,' they said. As police scoured the Sunshine Coast and beyond, the investigation quickly led to two suspects. Officers allege the teenagers committed multiple break-ins in the days prior to Mr Bilic's death, including properties in Brisbane and on the coast. Using mobile phone tracking data, detectives followed a trail that stretched more than 100km. The 17-year-old was arrested after getting off a bus in Toowoomba. The 15-year-old was apprehended in Chermside. Police also claim to have recovered the knife believed to be the murder weapon that is undergoing forensic analysis. Detective Inspector Toohey said the investigation was 'multifaceted' and ongoing, involving interviews with youths across the region to build a complete picture. 'We will allege two youths entered Mr Bilic's house on Sunday night in relation to a break and enter,' Inspector Toohey said. 'We are still talking to people around the community and a lot of youths around the Sunshine Coast.' The teenagers were charged with murder and break-and-enter offences, with the matters mentioned in Maroochydore Children's Court on Thursday. Both were remanded in custody, with a committal mention set for September 10. The court was told both boys came from troubled backgrounds. One is under his relative's guardianship, with both parents in jail. The other is in the long-term care of the Department of Child Safety. During the court proceedings, lawyers raised concerns over incorrectly signed DNA applications, one by a relative instead of a legal guardian. The applications were withdrawn and are expected to be refiled. Under Queensland's 'adult crime, adult time' laws, introduced after the 2024 election, a juvenile convicted of murder faces a mandatory life sentence. While the legal process begins to unfold, the community is still grappling with the loss of a man who was widely admired, loved and respected. Ms Tomte recalled how Mr Bilic, who had recently moved with her from Melbourne, had a habit of stopping to help anyone in need, even lost dogs on the street. 'He was the kind of man who on several occasions would quickly detour when we saw a lost dog, whether on a bike or in a car, and without hesitation footy tackle them to stop them in their tracks to make sure we could get them home safely to their families,' Ms Tomte said. She said he was an 'exceptional male role model' through his work with Ginger Sport, where he was loved by the children he coached across Sunshine Coast childcare centres. 'It was so clear to me and everyone who saw this that he was a superhero to the little kids he worked with,' she said. 'Whether we were walking on the beach, going to the mall, or visiting the zoo, there would always be a little, enthusiastic excited voice yelling 'Coach Zed, Coach Zed!'' In one of his public posts, Mr Bilic had written about how excited he was to start a new chapter of life on the Sunshine Coast after moving from Melbourne. 'There is a new chapter in our life and it starts with a move to the Sunshine Coast,' he wrote in March 2022. 'Definitely will miss the day-to-day Melbourne way … but we are super excited with our new adventure.' That new chapter was cruelly cut short. Police say Warana remains one of the safest parts of the Sunshine Coast, but this incident has rattled that sense of security. 'We pride ourselves on having, trying to maintain a safer environment for all our residents,' Inspector Toohey said. 'So (Mr Bilic's death) is a shock. It makes us more vigilant to maintain that level of safety and make sure that we hold the (alleged) offenders to account.' Queensland Premier David Crisafulli and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie offered their condolences. Mr Bleijie called the crime 'sickening'. For Ms Tomte, no words can capture what's been lost. 'From the moment we met … we knew instantly we were each other's 'person',' Ms Tomte said. 'He was loved by more people than I can put into words. If you've had the privilege of being in Zed's presence, you'll know that he was literal sunshine.'

Mexico's brutal Sinaloa cartel is at war with itself as El Chapo's son strikes a deal with the US
Mexico's brutal Sinaloa cartel is at war with itself as El Chapo's son strikes a deal with the US

ABC News

time19 hours ago

  • ABC News

Mexico's brutal Sinaloa cartel is at war with itself as El Chapo's son strikes a deal with the US

For more than a year, Mexican authorities said there was no reason to think criminal cartels were linked to the shooting deaths of Australian surfers Jake and Callum Robinson. Expert observers had immediate doubts. The brothers were shot in the head, and their car and campsite were torched, in an area rife with cartel violence. But the cartel link wasn't clear until a court document revealed a local prison boss had later raised concerns about two inmates. They were then moved to a higher security jail because of "their affiliation with criminal groups linked to the Sinaloa cartel". Some parts of the document were redacted, but the ABC this week confirmed those inmates were Jesús Gerardo and Irineo Francisco — two of the four people accused of the Robinson brothers' murders. (Their surnames are withheld.) As these details were coming to light, the Sinaloa cartel was coming under new scrutiny in the US. The youngest son of "El Chapo", the Mexican crime lord who once led the cartel, has just made a deal with American prosecutors, almost two years after being extradited to Chicago. Ovidio Guzmán López, or "El Ratón", had inherited control of parts of the cartel when his father was jailed for life in the US in 2019. With his three older brothers, he led "Los Chapitos" — described as a "powerful, hyperviolent faction of the Sinaloa cartel at the forefront of fentanyl trafficking" by the US government. Under the plea deal, El Ratón admitted to drug-trafficking and other crimes, and forfeited up to $US80 million in assets. He also agreed to spill the secrets of the Sinaloa cartel — and likely the corrupt officials protecting it — to help US law enforcement bring it down. The earliest iteration of the Sinaloa cartel sprung up in the 1960s in the north-western Mexican state of Sinaloa. It is now considered the dominant cartel along much of the west coast. The US government says it makes billions by flooding American streets with fentanyl and other drugs. And it is increasingly targeting Australia's lucrative methamphetamine and cocaine markets with the help of outlaw motorcycle gangs, authorities believe. But it is also "heavily diversified" beyond drug-trafficking, says Nathan Jones, an expert on Mexico's cartels from Sam Houston State University in Texas. "One of the big umbrella crimes is extortion — extorting local businesses, taking over local markets," he says. "The avocado industry, the seafood industry, illegal water sales in drought-stricken northern regions … they're touching everything." Corruption in government and law enforcement has helped the cartel spread its reach. But in recent years, its status as Mexico's biggest and most powerful has been challenged by the rise of a rival known as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or just Jalisco. "There's been this debate for the last 10 years over who is bigger, the Cartel de Jalisco or the Sinaloa cartel," Dr Jones says. "At this point it's pretty clear — we're going to say it's the Cartel de Jalisco." One big reason for that is a bloody factional war that's been tearing the Sinaloa cartel apart. For a long time, El Chapo — real name Joaquín Guzmán — led the Sinaloa cartel alongside Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. When El Chapo was arrested in 2016, it left his four sons to share control of the cartel with El Mayo. But El Chapo's sons turned on El Mayo. A year ago, Joaquín Guzmán López — the son known as "El Güero Moreno" — delivered El Mayo straight into the hands of American law enforcement. Both El Mayo and El Güero Moreno were arrested on a tarmac in Texas after flying in on a private jet. It is still not totally clear how El Mayo ended up on the plane. Early reports suggested he was duped into thinking he was going to see real estate in northern Mexico. But through his lawyer, El Mayo has said he was ambushed by six men in military uniforms, who tied him up, took him to a landing strip and forced him onto the plane. It means two of El Chapo's sons are in US custody, as well as El Mayo. And the sons' betrayal of El Mayo unleashed an all-out war between the Sinaloa cartel's two big factions — the sons' Los Chapitos faction and the El Mayo faction. "That is turning into a bloody dispute that has surged violence in [the state of] Sinaloa for the last year," Dr Jones says. Parts of Sinaloa, including the capital, Culiacan, are said to be like war zones. An NPR report this month said more than 1,000 people had been killed, and another 1,000 were missing, amid "nearly daily gun battles" on city streets. There is now evidence the Los Chapitos faction is forming an alliance with the rival Jalisco cartel, Dr Jones says. "The Chapitos, as best we can tell, have formed an alliance with [Jalisco] to kind of counterbalance against the El Mayo faction," he says. "So it means it's very hard now to talk about the Sinaloa cartel as a coherent entity." Mexico's cartels do not often target tourists, because it can put them in the glare of unwanted international attention. An attack on an American traveller last October, almost six months after the Robinson brothers were killed, is a case in point. Veteran US Marine Nicholas Quets, 31, was killed by Sinaloa cartel members near the town of Caborca. It is in the state of Sonora, east of Baja California, where the Australian surfers were killed. Like the Robinson brothers, Quets was travelling in a pick-up truck. The US Department of Homeland Security says he "encountered a Sinaloa cartel checkpoint" while on his way to the beach resort city of Puerto Peñasco. "These cartel members attempted to steal his pick-up truck before shooting him in the back through his heart," a Homeland Security statement said. On March 31, the US government used what would have been Quets's 32nd birthday to announce new sanctions on groups suspected of money laundering for the Sinaloa cartel. The sanctions are among a string of measures taken by the Trump administration to ratchet up pressure on Mexico's cartels, and on the Mexican government to crack down on them. The US has also listed the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organisations, and last month announced $US10 million rewards for the capture of El Chapo's two fugitive sons. His other two sons remain in US custody. The plea deal taken by the youngest, El Ratón, could help him avoid an otherwise-likely life sentence. And his brother, El Güero Moreno, has also reportedly been negotiating a similar deal since flying into the US with El Mayo. The US sees the capture and capitulation of the brothers as a big win in its war on the cartels. "So much blood and violence lay with the Guzmán family," Homeland Security special agent Ray Rede said. "No more." It is not clear exactly how the Sinaloa cartel is allegedly connected to the men accused of murdering the Robinson brothers last year. A translation of the court document that revealed the link says: "Their continued presence at the local penitentiary centre poses a threat to its safety and governance, as they have been identified as involved in smuggling substances on behalf of the Paisas gang". It also says they "belong to a criminal group affiliated with the Sinaloa cartel". The court process for Jesús Gerardo and Irineo Francisco, and two co-accused, has only just begun. It is set to resume at another hearing on Friday.

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