The Untold Story of Australia's Most Wanted Gangland Assassin

Описание: The Untold Story of Australia's Most Wanted Gangland Assassin

In the shadowy underworld of Melbourne, there was one name that struck terror into the hearts of even the most hardened criminals. Andrew "Benji" Veniamin - a baby-faced altar boy turned cold-blooded killer who would become Australia's most feared gangland assassin.
On March 23rd, 2004, at exactly 2:30 PM, inside the La Porcella Italian restaurant in Carlton, a chilling conversation would end in gunfire. Two shots. One to the neck, one to the eye. And with that, the reign of Australia's busiest hitman came to a violent end.
But how does a devout Greek Orthodox altar boy transform into a merciless executioner responsible for at least seven brutal murders? How does someone who once served at the sacred altar become the puppet master of death in Melbourne's blood-soaked gangland war?
This is the untold story of Andrew "Benji" Veniamin - the most dangerous man Australia's underworld had ever seen.
The Making of a Monster
Born on November 16th, 1975, to Greek Cypriot immigrant parents Apollo and Marianna Veniamin, young Andrew grew up in the working-class suburb of Sunshine, west of Melbourne. This wasn't the breeding ground you'd expect for Australia's most notorious hitman.
Every Sunday morning, little Andrew would put on his finest clothes and walk to St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church in Sunshine West. There, surrounded by golden icons and burning incense, he served as an altar boy - a symbol of innocence and devotion. His parents believed they were raising a good Christian boy who would follow the righteous path.
But even then, there were dark seeds growing beneath the surface.
As a teenager, Veniamin discovered boxing. He was small - weighing only 110 pounds - but he was driven by an obsession that bordered on madness. Five days a week, he trained relentlessly under the guidance of legendary Olympic Boxing Coach Beau Gerring, who would later describe him as a "whippersnapper."
Gerring had high hopes for young Benji. He was talented enough to make the state team and was even slated to represent Australia at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada. For a brief moment, it seemed like boxing might be his salvation - a legitimate path to channel his aggression and drive.