by Nick Prango » Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:40 am
Only Chopper and Mick Gatto were the only ones left and never got killed. Andrew Veniamin picked the wrong fight when he drew his gun on Mick Gatto. lawyer Nicola Gobbo claimed to police that Mick Gatto was involved in the murder of his underworld mate, Mario Condello, according to documents released by the Lawyer X royal commission.
Condello was ambushed in the driveway of his Brighton home in February, 2006.
The “money man” was slain the night before he was to face trial. His killer remains a mystery.
Gobbo, who repeatedly told Gatto she was not a “dog” — slang for informer — while informing on him, reported to her Victoria Police handlers that Gatto was the key to the Condello hit.
“(Gobbo) believes that hit was arranged by GATTO or sanctioned by him and it was convenient that the murder occurred before his trial where a motive would have been revealed, Gobbo’s police handler wrote in 2008.
Gobbo told her handler “that the shooter was flown in from overseas for the job”.
The Victoria Police “information reports” regarding Gobbo’s claims have been released by the Lawyer X royal commission.
The Purana task force, which investigated Condello’s murder, probed several scenarios.
Carl Williams, who Condello wanted dead, was an obvious suspect even though he was in prison at the time of the hit.
Another person of interest in the probe was alleged Calabrian mafia boss, Tony Madafferi.
Purana task force detectives conducted investigations into the businessman, with police emails in 2014 revealing he had been considered a suspect.
‘‘Tony (Madafferi) is said to be a/the leading Calabrian figure head in Victoria,” senior detective Boris Buick wrote.
“Tony has been subject to many investigations focusing on Italian organised crime … one theory was that Condello was killed on the orders of Tony Madafferi.”
Police considered tapping into a police source to make inquiries about Mr Madafferi but the name of the source has been redacted in documents.
Mr Madafferi, who does not have any criminal convictions, has long been of interest to the force.
Before Condello was gunned down he had become inceasingly religious. There were fears Condello could turn informer as his trial and looming jail sentence approached.
Condello, who was proud of his Calabrian heritage and was a trained lawyer, was drawn to the gangster lifestyle.
Both Gatto and Condello were both linked to the so-called ‘‘Carlton Crew” as Melbourne’s gangland war raged.
Also in the group were underworld figures Alphonse Gangitano, Graham Kinniburgh, Lewis Moran and his sons, Mark and Jason.
All, except Gatto, were murdered.
Williams was investigated over the killings of Kinniburgh, Condello and the three Morans.
Of these, he was convicted of ordering the murders of Lewis and Jason Moran.
Williams was also convicted of ordering the executions of two other drug dealers, Michael Marshall and Mark Mallia.
Gobbo’s intelligence on Gatto did not progress any probe into him despite her efforts to get associates close to him to turn, including Faruk Orman.
Gatto has taken legal action against another media outlet over allegations he was a hit man and a murderer, in a case still before the courts.
Orman was the first man to be released from prison on the Lawyer X principle.
A suspected triggerman in the Condello hit, Rodney Collins, was approached by police in 2018 to make a deathbed confession if he was the shooter.
He declined to talk to them.
Only Chopper and Mick Gatto were the only ones left and never got killed. Andrew Veniamin picked the wrong fight when he drew his gun on Mick Gatto. lawyer Nicola Gobbo claimed to police that Mick Gatto was involved in the murder of his underworld mate, Mario Condello, according to documents released by the Lawyer X royal commission.
Condello was ambushed in the driveway of his Brighton home in February, 2006.
The “money man” was slain the night before he was to face trial. His killer remains a mystery.
Gobbo, who repeatedly told Gatto she was not a “dog” — slang for informer — while informing on him, reported to her Victoria Police handlers that Gatto was the key to the Condello hit.
“(Gobbo) believes that hit was arranged by GATTO or sanctioned by him and it was convenient that the murder occurred before his trial where a motive would have been revealed, Gobbo’s police handler wrote in 2008.
Gobbo told her handler “that the shooter was flown in from overseas for the job”.
The Victoria Police “information reports” regarding Gobbo’s claims have been released by the Lawyer X royal commission.
The Purana task force, which investigated Condello’s murder, probed several scenarios.
Carl Williams, who Condello wanted dead, was an obvious suspect even though he was in prison at the time of the hit.
Another person of interest in the probe was alleged Calabrian mafia boss, Tony Madafferi.
Purana task force detectives conducted investigations into the businessman, with police emails in 2014 revealing he had been considered a suspect.
‘‘Tony (Madafferi) is said to be a/the leading Calabrian figure head in Victoria,” senior detective Boris Buick wrote.
“Tony has been subject to many investigations focusing on Italian organised crime … one theory was that Condello was killed on the orders of Tony Madafferi.”
Police considered tapping into a police source to make inquiries about Mr Madafferi but the name of the source has been redacted in documents.
Mr Madafferi, who does not have any criminal convictions, has long been of interest to the force.
Before Condello was gunned down he had become inceasingly religious. There were fears Condello could turn informer as his trial and looming jail sentence approached.
Condello, who was proud of his Calabrian heritage and was a trained lawyer, was drawn to the gangster lifestyle.
Both Gatto and Condello were both linked to the so-called ‘‘Carlton Crew” as Melbourne’s gangland war raged.
Also in the group were underworld figures Alphonse Gangitano, Graham Kinniburgh, Lewis Moran and his sons, Mark and Jason.
All, except Gatto, were murdered.
Williams was investigated over the killings of Kinniburgh, Condello and the three Morans.
Of these, he was convicted of ordering the murders of Lewis and Jason Moran.
Williams was also convicted of ordering the executions of two other drug dealers, Michael Marshall and Mark Mallia.
Gobbo’s intelligence on Gatto did not progress any probe into him despite her efforts to get associates close to him to turn, including Faruk Orman.
Gatto has taken legal action against another media outlet over allegations he was a hit man and a murderer, in a case still before the courts.
Orman was the first man to be released from prison on the Lawyer X principle.
A suspected triggerman in the Condello hit, Rodney Collins, was approached by police in 2018 to make a deathbed confession if he was the shooter.
He declined to talk to them.