Pisasale lawyer on extortion charge

THE lawyer who worked with former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale on matters relating to his extortion charge has also been charged with extortion by the corruption watchdog.

Cameron James McKenzie, 35, of Churchill in Ipswich, was charged by the Crime and Corruption Commission yesterday and released on bail.

The CCC said he would appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court yesterday, but later said he would not appear until August 4. The charges come exactly a month after Pisasale was charged on June 20.

After his release, McKenzie, who works at LPM Law, said he did not know the details of the charges.

“I have fully co-operated with authorities,” he said. “I’ve only been given a bail sheet and a charge sheet.”

McKenzie could not comment further, but previously said his office was raided by the CCC on the day of Pisasale’s arrest. He also confirmed he was aware of a phone call made by Pisasale in which the former mayor allegedly posed as a private investigator and sought money from a NSW taxi driver.