Episode five: the fightback

Funerals are held for Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira and there is hope that the election of President Lula will mean new protections for the Amazon – and that the killers of Dom and Bruno will face justice. But organised crime is widespread and deep-rooted. The investigative journalist Sônia Bridi tells the Guardian's Latin America correspondent Tom Phillips about a man who allegedly not only may have helped plan the killings but may have ordered them. A man whose name strikes fear across the region

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Guardian

4 hours ago

• The Guardian

Episode five: the fightback

Funerals are held for Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira and there is hope that the election of President Lula will mean new protections for the Amazon – and that the killers of Dom and Bruno will face justice. But organised crime is widespread and deep-rooted. The investigative journalist Sônia Bridi tells the Guardian's Latin America correspondent Tom Phillips about a man who allegedly not only may have helped plan the killings but may have ordered them. A man whose name strikes fear across the region

Daily Mail​

11 hours ago

• Daily Mail​

EXCLUSIVE Jealous lawyer branded her estranged husband's new girlfriend 'scruffy' and 'trampy' and had him arrested over unfounded assault claims

A jealous lawyer hounded her estranged husband with derogatory Facebook messages and had him arrested after he began an affair with a younger woman. Susilla Mercer, 44, branded Gerard Flynn's South American girlfriend Shelina Kurz 'scruffy' and 'trampy', adding: 'Penthouse to s***house does not even cut it.' She also made unfounded allegations of assault against Mr Flynn which resulted in him being detained and quizzed by police, a court heard, only to be released without charge. In response, Mercer - who married her husband in 2020 in a lavish £60,000 wedding ceremony at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire - messaged him saying: 'I am sorry I got you arrested but I did not want to spend £200 to £300 an hour on a water tight divorce. 'The copper then took it out of my hands and I spent the time with two barristers trying to get you out to make sure that the CPS did not take it further.' She continued to berate his girlfriend on social media, cruelly branding her 'ugly'. Mercer also posted a picture of Ms Kurz with the caption: 'F*** me. Her forehead is so big you could draw a picture on it. 'She looks like she has just got out of bed.' In a statement Mr Flynn, who is believed to work in construction, said he suffered from constant anxiety which prevented him from leaving the house out of fear he would be arrested again. He said because of his large build and the fact he is male, he did not think anyone would believe him. Mr Flynn, 42, added: 'My mental health declined rapidly and my friend had to pick me otherwise I would not go to work. 'If it was not for the antidepressants I would not be where I am today.' In her own victim statement, Ms Kurz - who is in her 30s - said: 'It is not a nice feeling to hear bad things said about yourself online, especially when they do not know you. 'It made me believe that the constant messages and phone calls would never stop. 'It all affected my relationship with Gerard massively. 'It was always in the back of my mind if she would show up.' Mercer's Runcorn-based firm Mercer Law was shut down in 2023 following a probe into allegations of dishonesty by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. At Warrington magistrates court she was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail suspended for 12 months. Mercer had denied harassment of her husband and the racially aggravated harassment of Ms Kurz between January 2023 and July 2024. But she failed to attend her trial and was convicted in her absence. In the run-up to the hearing she posted pictures on Facebook of her wedding invitations with the caption: 'What a waste of £60,000. Cheating lying f****r.' When she attended her sentencing hearing, she said she was still 'technically' Flynn as her divorce 'had not gone through'. She was rebuked by JPs after laughing from the dock and saying: 'It is because he has an affair.' Kassem Noureddine, prosecuting, said Mr Flynn's account was that he and Mercer separated in 2022 'as a result of her alcoholism'. From the start of 2023 he began receiving 'rambling voice notes' from her, Mr Noureddine said. Following his arrest, Mercer made 'derogatory comments' about him and his new partner, he added. In mitigation Sarah Bailey said her client's conduct followed an 'acrimonious divorce' and a 'new partner' being introduced. There are also 'concerns about her mental health', she added. Mercer continued to claim Mr Flynn had assaulted her 'but there was not enough evidence to convict and she is quite upset that nothing was done about that,' she added. 'She is here for what she says is just a couple of Facebook messages.' Mercer was also banned from contacting the couple for 12 months under the terms of a restraining order and ordered to pay £804 in costs and a victim surcharge.

Daily Mail​

11 hours ago

• Daily Mail​

BREAKING NEWS Sydney accountant accused of using his role to help a major organised crime network - as details of secret scheme emerge

A Sydney accountant has been charged with using his is professional position to facilitate criminal activity for a prominent organised crime network. The accountant, 43, is allegedly responsible for facilitating money laundering and fraud on behalf of members of the crime group through his tax practice. Following extensive inquiries, about 9.50am on Tuesday May 13, detectives executed a search warrant at a taxation office in Sydney's CBD. During the search, police located a number of both physical and electronic financial records relating to members of the OCN. The man was taken to Burwood Police Station, where he was charged with two counts of publish etc false misleading material to obtain advantage and two counts of make false document to obtain financial advantage etc. He was granted conditional bail and appeared in Burwood Local Court on Tuesday 17 June. Days later, a 30-year-old man was issued a Future Court Attendance Notice charged with dishonestly obtain property by deception. Police will allege in court the 30-year-old man orchestrated a false mortgage application for a property worth over $1 million to disguise himself as the beneficiary of the property. The man is due to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday 30 July.