Here’s a sentence: Miranda Kerr was used as a honey trap to lure an underworld boss to a New Year’s Eve party at which he was shot and badly wounded.
Crime boss Pasquale Barbaro – who was shot dead in suspicious circumstances on Monday night – promised the head of Brothers 4 Life’s Blacktown chapter, Farhad Qaumi, that the Aussie supermodel would be partying with the “biggest gangsters in Australia” aboard a luxury yacht back in 2013.
Only – surprise surprise – Kerr was never actually going to attend as a special guest of Barbaro’s, and Qaumi copped a bullet to the shoulder when unknown gunman opened fire as the Oscar II docked at Rose Bay wharf later in the night.
The bizarre revelation was heard in the NSW Supreme Court, where Qaumi and his younger brother Mumtaz are currently on trial for allegedly organising the execution-style murder of debt collector Joe Antoun at his Strathfield home in December 2013.
A former member of Brothers 4 Life, known only as Witness J, dragged Kerr into the trial when he told of Barbaro’s exchange with Qaumi prior to the NYE party, which happened just 15 days after Antoun’s murder.
“Did he [Barbaro] say to Farhad Qaumi, ‘you are the star bro – it’s all for you and Miranda Kerr is coming’?” asked Qaumi’s lawyer, John Stratton SC.
“Yeah he did say that,” replied Witness J.
“It’s a celebration for you and you are the main event. It is your party and Miranda Kerr is going to be there?,” Stratton continued.
“Yeah, that is what he said.”
Witness J told the court he was suspicious of Barbaro’s invitation because he “barely knew” Qaumi, who took the bait.
The execution-style hit on father-of-two Barbaro – outside the Earlwood home on an associate – was carried out the day before a Sydney court was due to hear phone intercepts of conversations he’d had with Qaumi, which were to be used as evidence against him in the trial of Antoun’s murder.
Qaumi and his brother have pleaded not guilty to the crime.
Photo: GQ / Mario Testino.
