Jake and Callum Robinson: Court document reveals Mexican Sinaloa cartel linked to murder of Perth brothers
Jesús Gerardo and Irineo Francisco have been transferred to Mexico's maximum-security 'El Hongo' prison due to their alleged ties to the notoriously violent Sinaloa cartel, according to the ABC.
Two other co-accused, Ángel Jesús and Ari Gisell, reportedly do not appear to have any links to the cartel.
Mr Gerardo and Mr Francisco's alleged links to the cartel, which earlier this year was designated a terror group by the Trump administration, was revealed in court documents.
All four accused faced court in Esenda, Mexico, overnight on Friday, Perth time, with the parents of the Robinson brothers dialling into the proceedings by video-link.
The new cartel claims came to light after prosecutor Miguel Ángel Gaxiola Rodríguez said that despite the horrific killings occurring in an area notorious for cartel activity and violence, the most likely reason for the murders was tyre theft.
The brothers had been camping in a remote part of northern Mexico with their American friend Carter Rhoad when they were each shot in the head in April last year.
Their bodies were then callously dumped in a 15-metre-deep well in Baja California. A fourth, unrelated body was also found in the same location.
All four defendants are charged with the aggravated homicide of the surfers from Perth and their American friend, Carter Rhoad.
The ABC reported court documents showed Mr Gerardo and Mr Francisco were transferred from a local prison in the city of Ensenada in August, after the court found they 'require special security measures given that penitentiary authorities have identified them as members of criminal groups affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel'.
The document also said one defendant 'claimed within the detention centre population that he can escape confinement at any time he chooses, in addition to participating in the use of prohibited substances on behalf of the gang known as 'Los Paisas'.
Lawyers for the accused men appealed the transfer decision, but two courts upheld the decision saying they were satisfied the men had ties to criminal groups operating in service of the cartel.
The court of appeals document said both men had 'high criminal capacity, high aggressiveness, emotional detachment, high egocentricity, and marked emotional instability'.
Since their arrests, a court was told Gerardo — who was the first to be taken into custody — had allegedly confessed to his then-partner, showing her the allegedly stolen tyres and then allegedly telling her: 'I f...ed up three gringos'.
The case will return to court on July 25.
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Epstein grand jury transcripts 'a distraction'
Grand jury transcripts in the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend are unlikely to reveal much, if anything, that is not already known about the financier's crimes, former federal prosecutors say. Attorney Sarah Krissoff, an assistant US attorney in Manhattan from 2008 to 2021, called the request in the prosecutions of Epstein and imprisoned British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell "a distraction". Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made the request on Friday, US time, asking judges to unseal transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against Epstein and Maxwell. Blanche said "transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this administration". The request came as the administration sought to contain the firestorm that followed its announcement it would not be releasing additional files from the Epstein probe despite previously promising it would. 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Epstein killed himself at age 66 in his federal jail cell in 2019, a month after his arrest on sex trafficking charges, while Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year prison sentence imposed after her 2021 sex trafficking conviction for luring girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. Krissoff and Joshua Naftalis, a Manhattan federal prosecutor for 11 years before entering private practice in 2023, said grand jury presentations are purposely brief. Naftalis said prosecutors present just enough to a grand jury to get an indictment but "it's not going to be everything the FBI and investigators have figured out about Maxwell and Epstein". "People want the entire file from however long. That's just not what this is," he said, estimating that the transcripts, at most, probably amount to a few hundred pages. "It's not going to be much," Krissoff said, estimating the length at as little as 60 pages, "because the Southern District of New York's practice is to put as little information as possible into the grand jury". "They basically spoon-feed the indictment to the grand jury. That's what we're going to see," she said. "I just think it's not going to be that interesting ... I don't think it's going to be anything new." Both ex-prosecutors said grand jury witnesses in Manhattan are usually federal agents summarising their witness interviews. Krissoff predicted that judges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases will reject the government's request. "This is not a 50-, 60-, 80-year-old case," Krissoff noted. "There's still someone in custody." Cheryl Bader, a former federal prosecutor and Fordham Law School criminal law professor, said judges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases may take weeks or months to rule. "Especially here where the case involved witnesses or victims of sexual abuse, many of which are underage, the judge is going to be very cautious about what the judge releases," she said. Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice, called Trump's comments and influence in the Epstein matter "unprecedented" and "extraordinarily unusual" because he is a sitting president. Grand jury transcripts in the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend are unlikely to reveal much, if anything, that is not already known about the financier's crimes, former federal prosecutors say. Attorney Sarah Krissoff, an assistant US attorney in Manhattan from 2008 to 2021, called the request in the prosecutions of Epstein and imprisoned British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell "a distraction". 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Some of Trump's most loyal followers became furious after his administration reversed course on its promise to release files related to the Epstein investigation. Meanwhile, Trump is suing the Wall Street Journal and its owners, including Rupert Murdoch, after the newspaper reported that he in 2003 sent Epstein a birthday greeting that included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to secrets they shared. Epstein killed himself at age 66 in his federal jail cell in 2019, a month after his arrest on sex trafficking charges, while Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year prison sentence imposed after her 2021 sex trafficking conviction for luring girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. Krissoff and Joshua Naftalis, a Manhattan federal prosecutor for 11 years before entering private practice in 2023, said grand jury presentations are purposely brief. Naftalis said prosecutors present just enough to a grand jury to get an indictment but "it's not going to be everything the FBI and investigators have figured out about Maxwell and Epstein". "People want the entire file from however long. That's just not what this is," he said, estimating that the transcripts, at most, probably amount to a few hundred pages. "It's not going to be much," Krissoff said, estimating the length at as little as 60 pages, "because the Southern District of New York's practice is to put as little information as possible into the grand jury". "They basically spoon-feed the indictment to the grand jury. That's what we're going to see," she said. "I just think it's not going to be that interesting ... I don't think it's going to be anything new." Both ex-prosecutors said grand jury witnesses in Manhattan are usually federal agents summarising their witness interviews. Krissoff predicted that judges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases will reject the government's request. "This is not a 50-, 60-, 80-year-old case," Krissoff noted. "There's still someone in custody." Cheryl Bader, a former federal prosecutor and Fordham Law School criminal law professor, said judges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases may take weeks or months to rule. "Especially here where the case involved witnesses or victims of sexual abuse, many of which are underage, the judge is going to be very cautious about what the judge releases," she said. Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice, called Trump's comments and influence in the Epstein matter "unprecedented" and "extraordinarily unusual" because he is a sitting president. 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US President Donald Trump faces increased scrutiny about his relationship with Epstein, the disgraced financier and sex offender who died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019. The Epstein case has generated conspiracy theories that became popular among Trump's base of supporters who believed the government was covering up Epstein's ties to the rich and powerful. Some of Trump's most loyal followers became furious after his administration reversed course on its promise to release files related to the Epstein investigation. Meanwhile, Trump is suing the Wall Street Journal and its owners, including Rupert Murdoch, after the newspaper reported that he in 2003 sent Epstein a birthday greeting that included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to secrets they shared. Epstein killed himself at age 66 in his federal jail cell in 2019, a month after his arrest on sex trafficking charges, while Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year prison sentence imposed after her 2021 sex trafficking conviction for luring girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. Krissoff and Joshua Naftalis, a Manhattan federal prosecutor for 11 years before entering private practice in 2023, said grand jury presentations are purposely brief. Naftalis said prosecutors present just enough to a grand jury to get an indictment but "it's not going to be everything the FBI and investigators have figured out about Maxwell and Epstein". "People want the entire file from however long. That's just not what this is," he said, estimating that the transcripts, at most, probably amount to a few hundred pages. "It's not going to be much," Krissoff said, estimating the length at as little as 60 pages, "because the Southern District of New York's practice is to put as little information as possible into the grand jury". "They basically spoon-feed the indictment to the grand jury. That's what we're going to see," she said. "I just think it's not going to be that interesting ... I don't think it's going to be anything new." Both ex-prosecutors said grand jury witnesses in Manhattan are usually federal agents summarising their witness interviews. Krissoff predicted that judges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases will reject the government's request. "This is not a 50-, 60-, 80-year-old case," Krissoff noted. "There's still someone in custody." Cheryl Bader, a former federal prosecutor and Fordham Law School criminal law professor, said judges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases may take weeks or months to rule. "Especially here where the case involved witnesses or victims of sexual abuse, many of which are underage, the judge is going to be very cautious about what the judge releases," she said. Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice, called Trump's comments and influence in the Epstein matter "unprecedented" and "extraordinarily unusual" because he is a sitting president. Grand jury transcripts in the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend are unlikely to reveal much, if anything, that is not already known about the financier's crimes, former federal prosecutors say. Attorney Sarah Krissoff, an assistant US attorney in Manhattan from 2008 to 2021, called the request in the prosecutions of Epstein and imprisoned British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell "a distraction". Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made the request on Friday, US time, asking judges to unseal transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against Epstein and Maxwell. Blanche said "transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this administration". The request came as the administration sought to contain the firestorm that followed its announcement it would not be releasing additional files from the Epstein probe despite previously promising it would. US President Donald Trump faces increased scrutiny about his relationship with Epstein, the disgraced financier and sex offender who died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019. The Epstein case has generated conspiracy theories that became popular among Trump's base of supporters who believed the government was covering up Epstein's ties to the rich and powerful. Some of Trump's most loyal followers became furious after his administration reversed course on its promise to release files related to the Epstein investigation. Meanwhile, Trump is suing the Wall Street Journal and its owners, including Rupert Murdoch, after the newspaper reported that he in 2003 sent Epstein a birthday greeting that included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to secrets they shared. Epstein killed himself at age 66 in his federal jail cell in 2019, a month after his arrest on sex trafficking charges, while Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year prison sentence imposed after her 2021 sex trafficking conviction for luring girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. Krissoff and Joshua Naftalis, a Manhattan federal prosecutor for 11 years before entering private practice in 2023, said grand jury presentations are purposely brief. Naftalis said prosecutors present just enough to a grand jury to get an indictment but "it's not going to be everything the FBI and investigators have figured out about Maxwell and Epstein". "People want the entire file from however long. That's just not what this is," he said, estimating that the transcripts, at most, probably amount to a few hundred pages. "It's not going to be much," Krissoff said, estimating the length at as little as 60 pages, "because the Southern District of New York's practice is to put as little information as possible into the grand jury". "They basically spoon-feed the indictment to the grand jury. That's what we're going to see," she said. "I just think it's not going to be that interesting ... I don't think it's going to be anything new." Both ex-prosecutors said grand jury witnesses in Manhattan are usually federal agents summarising their witness interviews. Krissoff predicted that judges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases will reject the government's request. "This is not a 50-, 60-, 80-year-old case," Krissoff noted. "There's still someone in custody." Cheryl Bader, a former federal prosecutor and Fordham Law School criminal law professor, said judges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases may take weeks or months to rule. "Especially here where the case involved witnesses or victims of sexual abuse, many of which are underage, the judge is going to be very cautious about what the judge releases," she said. Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice, called Trump's comments and influence in the Epstein matter "unprecedented" and "extraordinarily unusual" because he is a sitting president.
Sky News AU
3 hours ago
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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard detailed "striking" findings from declassified documents released Friday, claiming to showcase "overwhelming evidence" that an Obama-era cabal laid the groundwork for what would be the years-long Trump-Russia collusion probe after the 2016 election. "The implications of this are frankly nothing short of historic," Gabbard said on this week's "Sunday Morning Futures." "Over 100 documents that we released on Friday really detail and provide evidence of how this treasonous conspiracy was directed by President Obama just weeks before he was due to leave office after President Trump had already gotten elected. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. This is an issue that is so serious it should concern every single American because it has to do with the integrity of our democratic republic," she continued. Documents shared by Gabbard's office claimed that before the 2016 election, there was no evidence showing Russia tried to directly alter vote counts. However, members of the intelligence community later suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to help Trump win. Gabbard argues the narrative shift was politically motivated rather than based on new findings. "Creating this piece of manufactured intelligence that claims that Russia had helped Donald Trump get elected contradicted every other assessment that had been made previously in the months leading up to the election that said exactly the opposite, that Russia had neither the intent nor the capability to try to 'hack the United States election,'" Gabbard told host Maria Bartiromo. "So the effect of what President Obama and his senior national security team did was subvert the will of the American people, undermining our democratic republic and enacting what would be essentially a years-long coup against President Trump, who was duly elected by the American people." Evidence released by Gabbard's office implicated then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Director James Comey and former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, among others, in addition to the former president. Gabbard confirmed her intent to send all the uncovered documents to the Department of Justice and the FBI for a criminal referral. When asked if she expects to see prosecutions, she vowed to do "all that [she] can" to ensure accountability. "We have whistleblowers, actually, coming forward now after we released these documents because there are people who were around, who were working within the intelligence community at this time who were so disgusted by what happened," she shared. "We're starting to see some of them come out of the woodwork here because they… want to see justice delivered… there must be indictments. Those responsible, no matter how powerful they are and were at that time, no matter who was involved in creating this treasonous conspiracy against the American people, they all must be held accountable." Some Democrats, including Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, who is the top member of his party on the House Intelligence Committee, have criticized Gabbard's claims as "baseless." Fox News Digital previously reached out to Obama, representatives for the former president, Clapper, Comey, Brennan, Rice, Lynch and McCabe for comment and did not receive a response. Originally published as Tulsi Gabbard details bombshell claims of Obama-era cabal's 'treasonous conspiracy' against Donald Trump
