Ex-CFMEU official’s ‘demolition company’ a front for secret bikie clubhouse, police fear

Accused building industry extortionist Joel Leavitt has been banned from associating with a bikie employee after police suggested Leavitt’s demolition company was actually a front for a secret Bandidos clubhouse.

A court document released to this masthead shows police hold serious fears that a fortified building in Sunshine West, registered as the business address for TCB Demolitions, is also home to the Bandidos’ Melbourne City chapter.

In the document, police said the purported business address was situated on a small commercial lot with nothing to suggest a large demolition or cleaning business was being run from inside.

“The front has been fortified with a steel welded gate. Investigators believe this could be the chapter clubhouse given the location,” Detective Senior Constable William Mountney wrote in a document to the court.

Police alleged that the connection between current Melbourne City Bandidos chapter president Codee Staff and Leavitt, who previously worked as a CFMEU health and safety official and earned an estimated $250,000 a year on one of the state government’s Big Build projects, had nothing to do with employment relations, and instead had everything to do with Leavitt exercising control over the outlaw motorcycle gang through Staff.

“We have evidence of Melbourne City Bandido members attempting to obtain over $1 million over the previous six months,” the document read.

Possible issues surrounding the legitimacy of TCB Demolitions and its operations arose earlier this month, when suspicious payslips were used in an attempt to show the working relationship between Staff and Leavitt.

When possible discrepancies arose, magistrate Malcolm Thomas ordered the matter to return to court on Wednesday so further investigations could take place.

At the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, defence barrister Christopher Terry said his 32-year-old client would abandon his bid to fly to Queensland for work, but maintained he needed to be able to drive work vehicles and could not only be chauffeured around by Staff.

Terry said Leavitt’s bank accounts had been frozen, and maintained that any possible payslip issues could be explained as an oversight.

“Mr Leavitt’s business is legitimate,” Terry said. “There’s no concession that any material relied on is in any way false.

“We intend to come back with evidence ... such as Austrac payments.”

The document shows police believe TCB Demolitions may stand for “taking care of the brotherhood”, with TCB also known as a bikie club position.

Police said banking records went on to show funds including a deposit of $30,000 had been transferred to and from the company to Codee Staff since Leavitt was bailed, raising concerns of potential “face value” money laundering.

Leavitt was charged in January with blackmailing a man by demanding $663,000 during a meeting in Cedar Meats offices at a Melbourne slaughterhouse.

He was later granted bail on strict conditions in February that permitted him to associate with Staff for employment purposes, but no other bikie members.

Mountney said payslips tendered to the court showed Staff was employed to work on January 19,the same day he and Leavitt allegedly attended Cedar Meats, where Leavitt is accused of attempting to blackmail a man inside.

“Police have serious concerns to suspect these payslips were generated via automated accounting software only in an attempt to deceive the court,” he wrote. “Police await the urgent request of the Australia Tax Office.”

In his document, Mountney said police were also concerned that TCB Demolitions advertised online that it offered services including mediation and litigation, despite Leavitt being banned from conducting debt collecting due to priors for violence.

“The website directly copies quotes and testimonies of other websites, including the words of Special Counsel Mr Richard Kouchoo whereby TCB has him listed as their managing director and principal lawyer,” Mountey wrote. “Police have contacted Mr Kouchoo. [He was] shocked that his details have been used ... stating that ‘it’s obviously some kind of identity theft or scam’.”

The prosecution argued that since they had recently determined the presidency of the Bandidos’ Melbourne City chapter had been handed from Leavitt to Staff, a non-association order should be put in place.

The magistrate maintained concerns over the documentation provided to the court, and ordered Leavitt no longer associate with Staff, and only be transported around the state in Ubers registered to his or his wife’s name.

The matter is due to return to court in June.

Staff has not been charged in relation to the alleged blackmail or any purported works with TCB Demolitions.

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