Majid Alibadi sentenced to five-and-a-half years for arson tied to Melbourne tobacco wars

Victoria Police's illicit tobacco task force charged Majid Alibadi in late 2023 with incitement to commit arson and car theft for the Hamad crime syndicate. At trial, he was found to have coordinated the November blaze at the Karizma restaurant owned by Fadi Haddara and a later fire at a Tullamarine reception centre, together causing nearly $2 million in losses. Court records show Alibadi supplied stolen vehicles, fake plates, petrol jerry cans and clothing to offenders, and his movements were tracked by police-installed devices.

Audio recordings captured him and Maytham Hamad laughing while watching footage of recent arsons and discussing the desire to keep Karizma closed on Christmas. The judge, Duncan Allen, sentenced Alibadi to a maximum of five and a half years, taking into account his guilty plea, his effort to overcome a meth habit that began at age 13, and a diagnosis of severe PTSD and depression stemming from his childhood in war-torn Iraq. Alibadi will be eligible for parole after three years, while his close ties to the Hamad family were highlighted throughout the proceedings.