The geriatric mom of one of Australia’s most vile murderers copped to charges that she offered a hitman $25,000 to rub out a star witness in her son’s case.
The real-life “Sopranos”-like plot stars Maria Cardamone, 79, who admitted that she attempted to pay an undercover cop to kill key prosecution witness Eddie George, according to the Herald Sun.
George testified against her son, Michael Cardamone, who brutally killed Karen Chetcuti in January 2016 near Wangaratta.
Michael sedated Chetcuti with animal tranquilizer, bound and gagged her, then injected her with battery acid before fracturing her skull and setting her body on fire.
Michael was sentenced to life without parole last month, according to ABC.net.
He tried to pin Chetcuti’s murder on George — who’d admitted to police that he helped Michael torch the 49-year-old victim’s car.
The court heard Michael tell a fellow inmate that he wanted George dead because he was a “big problem for him.”
Michael and his loyal mother were caught in dozens of phone calls discussing the failed hit, which they wanted to make look like a suicide complete with a confession note to Chetcuti’s mom.
Maria, who’s been in custody since her arrest in May, pleaded guilty via video to one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice. She’ll be sentenced later this month.
The defense wants her sentenced to time served because of her deteriorating mental capacity and depressive state.
Chetcuti’s mother, Clary Verbunt, was in Melbourne County Court for the proceedings. She said her daughter’s murder was a “life sentence” for her family.