Michel Germani of Germani Jewellers has been accused of staging a $2.8 million robbery of his store in Sydney, allegedly motivated by increasing debt and financial pressure.
Germani faced a two-month trial alongside two co-accused, Mounir Helou and Andrea David Cusumano, over their role in the 2023 plot.
Germani and Helou already admitted to staging the robbery and lodging a false insurance claim. Germani also pleaded guilty to providing false statements to police; however, he denied detaining an employee while in the company of others for financial gain.
Cusumano fought one count of attempting to commit an offence in attempt to dishonestly obtain a financial advantage. The jury found him guilty of that charge after 19 hours of deliberations.
The crown prosecutor indicated they will make a detention application in an attempt to take Helou into custody for the offence he has pleaded guilty to – staging the robbery and lodging a false insurance claim.
The matter will be heard again on July 28 for a new trial date to be set for Germani and Helou. Germani will remain in custody until the retrial, while Cusumano will remain on bail until his sentence hearing in September.
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