Gizzi Gives Generously
A prominent criminal from Rhyl, Denbighshire was today ordered to pay back more than two and a half million pounds.
Back in January 2006 John Damon Gizzi, a 35 year old man from Rhyl, Denbighshire, was convicted of wounding, assault and conspiracy to supply counterfeit cigarettes at Chester Crown Court. A determined, proactive investigation conducted by officers from the North Wales Police into his extensive and violent criminality resulted in him being sentenced to a total of five and a half years in prison.
Gizzi led a lavish, millionaire lifestyle and owned cars including a Bentley Continental GT, a 1.75 million pound mansion in St Asaph and a portfolio of sixteen other properties around the area running into millions of pounds, all funded by his criminality. The investigation into his financial affairs was referred to specialist officers at the North West Regional Asset Recovery Team (NWRART).
On Wednesday 21st March 2007, at Mold Crown
Court, before His Honour Judge John Rogers QC, it was determined that the benefit of his criminality amounted to £6,893,268. The amount available to be paid back was £2,618,874, and the judge ordered Gizzi to pay a confiscation order in that amount within 6 months or serve a default sentence of 8 years. This figure represents every asset owned by John Gizzi.
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Jones, Head of the NWRART said “ This case demonstrates the determination of the police to take the profit out of crime from those individuals who think they are beyond the reach of the law. Financial Investigators from the NW RART have worked closely with North Wales Police to show that criminal enterprises will be targeted and the profits confiscated.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Chris Corcoran, Head of the CID in North Wales said, “Gizzi is a bully, and preyed on the weak and vulnerable. He had a team of like-minded people around him scavenging monies from the proceeds of criminality. Gizzi was deemed locally as untouchable, above the law and presented himself as the millionaire who would never do a day in prison. We have proved him wrong. He is in prison and we have taken all of his ill-gotten gains away from him. Justice has been done. Crime does not pay.”