Gang 'enforcer' speaks out
The ‘enforcer’ of one of Australia’s most violent crime gangs is risking his life to expose the dark world of organised crime in this week’s episode of Sunday Night.
Rodney ‘Goldie’ Atkinson, a former Brothers 4 Life gang member, is speaking out in an exclusive investigation into Australia's underworld.
Goldie, a tattoo-covered giant with a row of 24-carat gold teeth encrusted with diamonds, has spent half his life behind bars. He was released from prison two years ago after his latest stint behind bars.
The gun-for-hire tells reporter Rahni Sadler he’s now speaking publicly to “get the truth out”.
As one of Sydney’s most feared standover men, Goldie said he: “made things happen”.
“He was employed for fear,” former Assistant Police Commissioner Ken “Slasher” McKay says.
Mr McKay spent 35 years in the police force and helped establish the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad (MEOCS).
Brothers 4 Life was started by notorious Sydney crime figure Bassam Hamzy who ran the Muslim gang from inside prison, where he was serving 21 years for murder.
At its height, Brothers 4 Life ran a lucrative drug empire from Sydney’s west.
Murders, kidnapping and knee-cappings… the gang ruthlessly protected its turf.
It was while Goldie Atkinson was in prison back in 2006 that he was recruited by Hamzy to be the gang’s enforcer, a job he relished.
But it all came unstuck when he was arrested and jailed for firearms possession in 2009.
While Goldie was inside, MEOCS was systematically breaking up the gang.
Meanwhile, Brothers 4 Life was imploding after a split in the group erupted into all-out war.
This week, two Brothers 4 Life gang members were found guilty of murdering Sydney stand-over man, Joseph Antoun, at his home in 2013.
Brothers Mumtaz and Farhad Qaumi arranged to have Mr Antoun gunned down as part of a contract killing.
The pair will be sentenced over three days in April.
SundayNight: 'The Enforcer': Sunday 8:30pm, after My Kitchen Rules.
