Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto has launched his latest business venture – as a debt collector for the horse racing industry.
“Are you owed money from the horse racing industry?” the advertisement for the agency, Victorian Racing Collections, reads.
“Owners haven’t paid their training fees? Gatto Corporate Solutions Pty Ltd in conjunction with Swords & Associates have recently opened a debt collection agency specifically for the horse racing industry.”
The agency has opened offices in Hastings, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, and lists businessman Anthony Swords as its shareholder and managing director.
The company has been advertising its services through social media, including Facebook.
The Victorian Law Reform Commission is undertaking a review, commissioned by the previous state government, of how the law can better prevent organised crime and criminal organisations infiltrating occupations and industries.
The commission is to report in February.
A Racing Victoria spokesman said the industry body had received complaints in relation to communications sent by Victorian Racing Collections, but would did not say what the nature of those complaints were.
“For clarity, Victorian Racing Collections Pty Ltd is not in any way authorised, endorsed by or associated with Racing Victoria, the Victoria Racing Club or the Victorian Thoroughbred Racing Industry,” he said.
He said Racing Victoria had a liaison service within its integrity department to help industry participants resolve disputes, including those involving debts.
“We would support any move to license debt collectors, whatever industry they are operating within,” he said.
Victoria’s attorney general, Martin Pakula, told reporters on Monday nationally consistent laws were needed to deal with gangs.
“I will have a chat with Victorian police about what changes they believe may be necessary to Victoria’s laws. With the right will and the right approach from both state and federal government there’s no reason why it can’t be achieved.”
But Swords told Guardian Australia he was not worried about talk of any new laws to stop criminals infiltrating industries such as racing, and that he was “10 steps ahead” of authorities.
“In the time I’ve known Mick [Gatto] I’ve never seen him in trouble, and I don’t think he’s been in trouble for 20 years,” Swords said.
In 2005 Gatto was found not guilty of murdering the suspected underworld hitman Andrew Veniamin.
Swords, who described Gatto as a mentor, said: “As far as bad people in the industry – get them out if they’re doing the wrong thing. I’m all for it, but if you’ve had a [criminal] past people need to have a chance in life as well to rehabilitate.”
The agency worked by taking on a client’s debt, making it the agency’s responsibility, Swords said.
“I’m not collecting debt on behalf of anyone else, it legally becomes mine,” he said.
“Sometimes I would make an offer to pay out the debt and then assign it to myself, or I simply assign it to myself and we settle out a payment to the client later,” he said.
“There’s nothing illegal about it, and I don’t see how any laws can be brought in preventing people from collecting their own debt. The state government can spend as much as they want on these laws, and if they want to rule out bikers, let them.
“I’ve got nothing to do with any of that.”
Work was busy, he said. “The racing industry is a big, nasty, messy, circle of debt.”
