A Mafia-connected underworld figure and player in the horse racing industry has been banned from the track over fears of industry corruption.
Flamboyant racegoer Fedele D’Amico, known as “Fred Bear’’, has joined a list of undesirables banned from all Victorian racetracks and Crown Casino.
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A former target of Australia’s largest ecstasy importation bust, D’Amico is among the most influential figures to be banned under the extraordinary and secretive powers held by Victoria’s Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton.
The number of banned people now stands close to 75.
But the Herald Sun understands controversial punter Paul Sequenzia, whose sister is the widow of slain gangster Mark Moran and is an associate of Horty Mokbel, can still be trackside.
Sequenzia has been identified as a large gambler who also associates with Melbourne’s criminal network.
He is well known within racing circles and has also owned race horses and greyhounds.
Harness Racing Victoria has also dealt with Sequenzia and has written to Victoria Police in an attempt to have him slapped with an exclusion order.
D’Amico joins a who’s who of colourful figures such as alleged Calabrian Mafia boss Antonio Madafferi, Mick Gatto and former jockey Danny Nikolic to be banned by the Chief Commissioner.
The 50-year-old has forged friendships with jockeys, trainers and others in the racing industry.
D’Amico, however, has survived some close calls.
More recently, he has launched a legal suit over a multimillion-dollar deal to buy a tip with an accused money launderer.
The Herald Sun reported in July that D’Amico had lodged a writ in the Supreme Court claiming four associates, including loan shark Tom Karas, had refused to hand over his claimed 20 per cent share of the $5.5 million Bulla tip and quarry business.
D’Amico has previously touted himself as a professional racehorse owner and flags interest in a racing fashion business.
The extraordinary power of the Chief Commissioner is still being challenged by Mr Madafferi in court, who wants access to intelligence used against him.
Although Mr Madafferi was a regular at Crown Casino, it is rumoured he wears a ring only worn by owners of Melbourne Cup winning horses.
His jailed brother, Francesco Madafferi, is also a banned figure.
The fight against corruption in the racing industry, however, has not been helped by the Commonwealth Government.
In 2015 racing bodies and integrity officers, such as Victoria’s Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna, lost the ability to gain access to telecommunication call charge records.
Victoria’s Attorney-General Martin Pakula has been fighting to resurrect Mr Perna’s investigative powers but is yet to convince Federal Attorney-General George Brandis.
Mr Perna and key sports bodies reapplied but were denied the ability to request call charge records from telcos.
Victoria Police and other major law enforcement bodies have the ability to demand records from telco companies.