George Freeman (bookmaker)

George Freeman
George Freeman
Born
George David Freeman

(1935-01-22)22 January 1935[citation needed]
Died20 March 1990(1990-03-20) (aged 55)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation(s)Bookmaker, racing identity, casino operator[1]
Spouse(s)Marcia Bedford, formerly McDonald (1963-1977); Georgina McLaughlin (1981 - his death)
Children6, 5 sons & 1 daughter
Parent(s)William David Freeman
Rita Eileen Freeman nee Cooke.
Conviction(s)$5000 fine
Criminal chargeSP bookmaking
The grave of George Freeman

George David Freeman (22 January 1935 – 20 March 1990) was an Australian bookmaker, racing identity and illegal casino operator.[2][3] He was linked to the Sydney drug trade during the 1970s and 1980s, was named in several Royal Commissions into organised crime and had links with American crime figures. Freeman served several prison terms for theft between 1951 and 1968 but was never brought to trial for any of his later alleged crimes, receiving only monetary fines for SP bookmaking in the mid-1980s. Freeman survived a murder attempt in 1979, was married twice, published an autobiography and died in 1990 of heart failure related to asthma and pethidine addiction.

  1. ^ Walsh, G. P. "George David Freeman (1935–1990)". Freeman, George David (1935–1990). Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  2. ^ Dunn, Ross; Nixon, James (23 August 1984). "Gangs battle for Chinatown casino empire". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 45, 757. p. 1.
  3. ^ Markson, Sharri; Sexton, Jennifer (24 May 2009). "Our Dad, the Underbelly hero". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2009.