- Marcello Nello Casella has pleaded guilty to concealing drug crop information
- Mr Casella is accused of funding a cannabis growing plot on a regional NSW farm
- Mr Casella was director at Casella Wines but resigned after police raided winery
- The billion dollar alcohol company produces popular wine including Yellow Tail
The former director of a family-owned billion-dollar wine company could face two years behind bars after allegedly becoming embroiled in an elaborate drug scheme.
Marcello Nello Casella, who operated Australia’s Casella Wines empire – the parent company of Yellow Tail – with his brother, allegedly funded a plan to grow a cannabis crop on a rural vineyard.
Casella pleaded guilty to hiding information about a drug kingpin’s plot to produce substantial fields of cannabis on the regional New South Wales farm – home to the $1.5 billion company.
One of the sons behind Australia’s billion dollar wine company, Marcello Nello Casella (pictured), could face two years in jail after allegedly becoming embroiled in a drug scheme
Casella was the director at Casella Wines – parent company of popular Yellow Tail wine (pictured) – when he allegedly funded a plan to grow a cannabis crop on a rural vineyard
A police raid discovered 2750 cannabis plants at the property after the 57-year-old’s ‘long term friend’ Luigi Fato (pictured centre) allegedly sought funding from him to fabricate master plan
The 57-year-old pleaded guilty on Monday to concealing data about five people’s activities in relation to the drug growing plot after initially pleading not guilty, Daily Telegraph reported.
The former company director, whose parents founded the billion dollar enterprise in 1969, allegedly lied to police when they initially questioned him about the illegal scheme.
There were 2750 cannabis plants discovered during a police raid at Karoopa Farm, whose owner was unaware of the scheme, in February 2014 however Casella wasn’t charged until later that year.
Weeks after the police raid, Casella resigned from his role at his parent’s company.
Five months before the raid, the 57-year-old’s ‘long term friend’ Luigi Fato allegedly sought financial support from him to help fabricate his master plan however police had been intercepting their calls, according to the publication.
Andre Sebastian Turner, who was an irrigation manager at Casella Wines, pleaded guilty to one count of cultivating a prohibited plant.
Casella and Turner’s trial for their alleged involvement in the drug growing plot began in May 2018 and they are both expected to face court again next month.
The former company director allegedly lied to police when they initially questioned him about the illegal drug scheme allegedly led by his ‘long term friend’ Fato (pictured)
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