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Monday, November 28, 2016

Robert the builder tells of life inside a Finks MC chapter

Ex member now fears for his life after snitching to cops

RINGWOOD, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA ( November 27, 2016) —A MAN who made the mistake of hanging out with a Motorcycle Club has given a terrifying account into life inside the Finks MC clubhouse.

Builder Robert Bolsdon claims he got mixed up with the Finks after he agreed to do some work for at a warehouse that just happened to be the club’s Ringwood chapter headquarters.

He appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last week via video link where four of his former buddies are accused of a conspiracy to bash him, among other offences.

Mr Bolsdon claimed he built a nice stage, a bar and installed a stripper pole but never got around to finishing the toilet and shower.

Inside, club supporters would pay $100 a month for the privilege of drinking with members — paying $5 a drink no matter what they ordered.

The Finks Motorcycle Club was formed in 1969 in Adelaide, Australia 

The “prospects” would run the bar, open the clubhouse gates for fully patched members and generally behave as servants, Mr Bolsdon said. It could take years before a prospect earned their full patch.

Full patched members would fork out $250 a month to wear the patch, and fees were to be paid no matter what.

Mr Bolsdon said chapter president John Napolitano would control the visitors “like a cult” and allegedly order club members to bash members or prospects.

Violent outbursts and random beatings were common on Friday nights, where up to 50 people would gather to get drunk, Mr Bolsdon said.

The victims were usually blow-ins, who foolishly thought it might be fun to drink with the Finks.

“They always waited until these people were drunk then laid into them,” Mr Bolsdon said. “I don’t know why they did it.”

Former member Caleb Hardwick said one member would bash people he simply did not like the look of. Friday was also the night where club members would hold their “church” meetings.

Mr Hardwick alleged everything from member fees to planning crimes would be discussed there. Like Mr Bolsdon, the Finks had plans to bash him, too, after he quit the club without paying his $10,000 exit fee or handing over his patch and motorcycle.

Mr Bolsdon, who went on club rides dressed as a fully patched member, said things went bad for him after he made the mistake of asking to be paid for the renovations he’d made to the clubhouse.

Police remove a Motorcycle from the Finks Clubhouse in Ringwood, Australia 

He was assaulted and alleged members blew up his car.

Mr. Hardwick stopped attending church meetings. In October last year, he said he wanted out, and then he left without paying. Instead, he ratted on his former mates to police and now lives a life of fear.

Finks members will appear in court throughout next week as a part of Victoria Police’s Operation Irrevocable.