Andrew Veniamin

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Andrew "Benji" Veniamin was an Australian criminal, a suspected mass murderer and drug dealer who was one of the key figures involved in the Melbourne underworld killings. Born in 1975^{[citation needed]}, he was of Greek descent. Victoria Police say Veniamin was one of the most dangerous men connected to Melbourne's crime scene, and by the time of his death in 2004 they had connected him with several of Melbourne's underworld murders ^[1].

Veniamin worked at the wholesale fruit and vegetable market with Frank Benvenuto, who was killed in Beaumaris in May 2000 ^[1]. He was also a known associate of Dino Dibra, who was murdered at his home in October 2000 ^[1], and of Paul Kallipolitis, who was shot in similar circumstances two years later ^[1].

Veniamin also met with Nik Radev on April 15 2003, the day Radev was murdered in Coburg ^[1]. Veniamin associated with an underworld group known as The Carlton Crew and after 2003 was connected with the Williams Family, and was a close friend of Carl Williams.

[edit] Death

Veniamin died in the La Porcella restaurant in Carlton on March 23, 2004 at around 2.30pm after being shot by former associate Domenic "Mick" Gatto. Gatto was charged with his murder but acquitted on self-defence grounds.

During the trial, Gatto claimed Veniamin had pulled out a .38 and threatened to kill him. Gatto claims that during a struggle he was able to turn the gun around on Veniamin and fire one shot into his neck, and one shot into the eye. Gatto also claimed that during the argument, Veniamin had implicated himself in the deaths of Dino Dibra, Paul Kallipolitis and Graham Kinniburgh.^[2] His funeral was held at the Greek Orthodox Church in Sunshine, Melbourne.^[3]

[edit] References