Canadian electronic artist Jordan Gardner has been languishing in Australian prison since December 2015 following an ill-fated attempt to smuggle nearly 40 kilograms of cocaine into the country — and it now appears as though the reasons for his journey have been brought to light.
In a sensational story published by The National Post earlier today (AEST), it is alleged that Gardner, 26, along with three of his countrymen and a New York-based model, had attempted to bring 37 kilograms of cocaine — then worth between $US5.1 million and $US6.6 million — into Australia under the direction of Vice's former Canadian music editor, Yaroslav Pastukhov, better known by his pseudonym, Slava Pastuk.
The aspiring musician — who is one-half of Toronto duo Èbony — was arrested, along with the rest of the group, by the Australian Federal Police when they landed at Sydney Airport on 22 December 2015. He is still awaiting sentencing.
According to allegations published by the Post, Pastukhov is accused — not in a legal sense, mind you (i.e. no charges have been filed, there are no known investigations into his person, and nothing has been proven in court) — of using his position and resources at Vice to recruit journalists and artists into "a transnational cocaine-smuggling ring".
The Post cites independent claims from three current or former Vice journalists that suggest Pastukhov — who parted ways with Vice in February 2016 — had approached them about becoming drug mules between Las Vegas and Australia for a payment of $10,000. They told the Post they declined the offer, while Pastukhov did not wish to offer comment on any of the claims.
However, it has been verified that Gardner is a former roommate of Pastukhov's who, as the Post notes, had been featured in a profile by Vice, and the Canadian's Australia-based lawyer, friends and family say that he "blames Pastukhov for badgering him into making the trip", according to the Post, and that, "[w]hen Gardner and some of his traveling companions tried to back out of the deal in Las Vegas … unknown men threatened Gardner with a gun".
"What [the cartel are] doing is they’re manipulating young kids such as Jordan and Jordan’s friends and the manipulation is very strong," Gardner's lawyer, Eidan Havas, told the Post. "They were lied to, they were all vulnerable or in vulnerable situations and they were taken advantage of.
"They’re finding young Canadians, or young individuals who for all intents and purposes don’t have any criminal histories and are productive members of their community, and manipulating them into making the wrong choice."
Within hours of arriving in Sydney, Gardner and his companions — American Nathaniel Carty, 22, and fellow Canadians Robert Wang, 24, Kutiba Senusi, 23, and Porscha Wade, 20 — had been arrested and charged with importing a commercial quantity of cocaine.
All have pleaded guilty except Wade, who is scheduled to face trial in September. The rest of the group will be sentenced next week, with their charges carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
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