Nick Paltos
Encyclopedia
Nicholas George Paltos was an Australia
n Doctor and convicted criminal.
The youngest of ten children, his family migrated from Greece
to Melbourne, Australia
in 1947. After the death of his mother in 1949, his family moved to Sydney, Australia
in 1955, where he first became acquainted with gambling, which was to be his downfall.
Paltos attended school till he was 13 when he left and worked at a chrome metal factory. In 1955, he moved with his father to Sydney where he worked as an apprentice in a Sydenham metal factory, completing a diploma course in electroplating.
Paltos enrolled at Sydney Technical College in 1959 and took two years to complete his matriculation. He then won a scholarship to study Medicine
at the University of New South Wales
in 1962. After completing studies, he commenced work at the Sydney Hospital
in 1969, and in 1978 took up private practice
with rooms in Woolloomooloo
He studied and worked part-time as a taxi driver and salesman. He also met his future wife, Marie Kratzis, whom he married in January 1967. He completed his studies in 1968 and joined the staff of Sydney Hospital. A year later he was appointed to the emergency and casualty department.
Paltos frequented illegal gaming venues, in particular the Goulburn Club, and racecourses. He knewpeople who moved in that world, including Graham "Croc" Palmer. He met George Freeman
as a doctor and became friends with him.
In 1978, Paltos took up private practice in Riley Street, Woolloomooloo. His patients included high-flyers such as former NSW Supreme Court chief justice Sir Laurence Street, media tycoon Kerry Packer and broadcaster John Laws. He warned ex-Goon Harry Secombe that if he did not lose some of his 129 kilograms, he would die. Secombe took that advice and credited Paltos with saving his life.
Paltos fathered two children and lived in a two-storey home, Gwandalan, in one of Sydney's most expensive suburbs, Bellevue Hill.
His gambling issues continued. In 1982 he borrowed $300,000 from the family company of a solicitor, Ross Karp. In an effort to pay mounting debts he became involved in crimal activity.
s of hashish
into Australia.
, along with a disgraced police detective, for using bank accounts under false names to hide improperly gotten money.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Doctor and convicted criminal.
Early life
Paltos was born "Nicholas George Paltos" (or possibly "Nicholas Johns Paltos" ) in 1940 or 1941 on the small Greek island of KastelorizonKastelorizo
Kastelorizo, , is a Greek island and municipality located in the southeastern Mediterranean. It lies roughly off the south coast of Turkey, about 570 km southeast of Athens and east of Rhodes, almost halfway between Rhodes and Antalya and to Cyprus...
The youngest of ten children, his family migrated from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
to Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1947. After the death of his mother in 1949, his family moved to Sydney, Australia
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1955, where he first became acquainted with gambling, which was to be his downfall.
Paltos attended school till he was 13 when he left and worked at a chrome metal factory. In 1955, he moved with his father to Sydney where he worked as an apprentice in a Sydenham metal factory, completing a diploma course in electroplating.
Paltos enrolled at Sydney Technical College in 1959 and took two years to complete his matriculation. He then won a scholarship to study Medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in 1962. After completing studies, he commenced work at the Sydney Hospital
Sydney Hospital
Sydney Hospital is a major hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Macquarie Street in the Sydney central business district. It is the oldest hospital in Australia, dating back to 1788, and has been at its current location since 1811. It first received the name Sydney Hospital in 1881.Currently...
in 1969, and in 1978 took up private practice
Medical practice
A medical practice or practice of medicine is the practice of medicine, as performed by a medical practitioner—a physician...
with rooms in Woolloomooloo
He studied and worked part-time as a taxi driver and salesman. He also met his future wife, Marie Kratzis, whom he married in January 1967. He completed his studies in 1968 and joined the staff of Sydney Hospital. A year later he was appointed to the emergency and casualty department.
Paltos frequented illegal gaming venues, in particular the Goulburn Club, and racecourses. He knewpeople who moved in that world, including Graham "Croc" Palmer. He met George Freeman
George Freeman (bookmaker)
George David Freeman was a Sydney organised crime figure and illegal casino operator. He was linked to the Sydney drug trade during the 1970s and '80s, was named in several Royal Commissions into organised crime and had links with American crime figures...
as a doctor and became friends with him.
In 1978, Paltos took up private practice in Riley Street, Woolloomooloo. His patients included high-flyers such as former NSW Supreme Court chief justice Sir Laurence Street, media tycoon Kerry Packer and broadcaster John Laws. He warned ex-Goon Harry Secombe that if he did not lose some of his 129 kilograms, he would die. Secombe took that advice and credited Paltos with saving his life.
Paltos fathered two children and lived in a two-storey home, Gwandalan, in one of Sydney's most expensive suburbs, Bellevue Hill.
His gambling issues continued. In 1982 he borrowed $300,000 from the family company of a solicitor, Ross Karp. In an effort to pay mounting debts he became involved in crimal activity.
First conviction
In 1986, Paltos pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to import 5.5 tonneTonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s of hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
into Australia.
Second conviction
In 1990, Paltos was convicted on charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justicePerverting the course of justice
Perverting the course of justice, in English, Canadian , and Irish law, is a criminal offence in which someone prevents justice from being served on himself or on another party...
, along with a disgraced police detective, for using bank accounts under false names to hide improperly gotten money.