In a landmark decision, a Melbourne court has ruled that Tony Mokbel, one of Australia’s most infamous drug kingpins, must face a retrial following revelations that his defense lawyer was secretly a police informant. Mokbel, a central figure in Melbourne’s prolonged gangland war, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2012 after admitting guilt in orchestrating a vast drug syndicate. His criminal empire, known as “The Company,” was responsible for numerous violent deaths, later dramatized in the popular Australian TV series “Underbelly.”
The case took a dramatic turn when it was discovered that Mokbel’s high-profile lawyer, Nicola Gobbo, had been covertly providing information to the police while ostensibly defending her clients. Mokbel, who spent nearly 18 years in prison, was released on bail earlier this year after a court determined he had a substantial chance of overturning his convictions. His legal team argued that Mokbel would not have pleaded guilty had he known about Gobbo’s dual role.
On Friday, the court acquitted Mokbel of one charge, ordered a retrial for another, and dismissed his appeal regarding a third charge. Mokbel remains on bail as the case is set to return to court later this year.
Gobbo, also known as Lawyer X and Informer 3838, revealed in a 2015 letter that her information led to the arrest and charging of over 300 individuals. A 2020 Royal Commission of inquiry condemned Gobbo’s actions during a period of intense gang violence in Melbourne, describing them as “fundamental and appalling breaches” of her professional obligations. Gobbo, who began her double life as a police informant in 1993 after being charged with drug offenses, played a pivotal role in gangland prosecutions between 2005 and 2009.
Victorian police spent five years and millions of dollars in legal battles to conceal Gobbo’s identity, fearing for her safety. In 2024, Gobbo testified in court about her life in hiding, expressing her exhaustion and despair. “I’m tired and I’m broken,” she said. “I’ve just had enough.”