Murdered gangland lawyer speaks from the grave ...story
Victorian Police have named Melbourne businessman Tony Madafferi (pictured) as a suspect in the $200,000 alleged contract on lawyer Joseph Acquaro, an allegation Mr Madafferi strenuously denies
Victorian Police have named Melbourne businessman Tony Madafferi (pictured) as a suspect in the $200,000 alleged contract on lawyer Joseph Acquaro, an allegation Mr Madafferi strenuously denies

'He perceives I'm a threat to him'

    Gangland lawyer Joseph 'Pino' Acquaro fatally shot in 'contract execution'
    Tony Madafferi suspected of putting $200,000 bounty on lawyer's head
    Court papers say Mr Madafferi feared Mr Acquaro was leaking to media
    Detectives spoke to Mr Madafferi last June, according to court papers


 Continue to rest of story after cut .....

Gangland lawyer Joseph Acquaro had spoken of his 'power struggle' with pizza chain owner Tony Madafferi months before he was gunned down, it has emerged.
Mr Madafferi, who is the brother of mafia drug kingpin Frank Madafferi, was suspected of putting a $200,000 bounty on the head of the slain lawyer, according to court documents seen by the ABC.
Underworld figures have claimed that Mr Acquaro, 55, was shot up to five times outside his gelato parlour in Melbourne early on Tuesday because he 'knew too much' about the mafia.
Detectives spoke to Mr Madafferi last June when it emerged that a contract was placed on Mr Acquaro and warned if anything happened to him they would 'know when to look', court documents have alleged.




Gangland lawyer Joseph Acquaro (pictured) was shot up to five times outside his gelato parlour in Melbourne early on Tuesday
Gangland lawyer Joseph Acquaro (pictured) was shot up to five times outside his gelato parlour in Melbourne early on Tuesday
The lawyer was gunned down outside his gelato bar at Brunswick East, in Melbourne inner northern suburbs
The lawyer was gunned down outside his gelato bar at Brunswick East, in Melbourne inner northern suburbs



Court documents reveal Mr Madafferi was suspected of putting a contract on the head of his former family friend because he believed Mr Acquaro was leaking information to the media. 
In the months before he was shot dead, Mr Acquaro told the Herald Sun: 'Tony (Madafferi) is rampant. He's slowly getting isolated.
'If you've got a problem, you deal with it. It's a power struggle. He perceives I'm a threat to him. He expects me to succumb ... The guy's lost the plot.' 
Mr Madafferi, who owns pizza chain La Porchetta and a number of supermarkets, has lost a battle to keep secret the explosive claims about his links to the lawyer.
The police suspicions surrounding Tony Madafferi were revealed when a Supreme Court judge lifted a suppression order.
The affidavits which name Tony Madafferi were part of a defamation action he has filed against Fairfax Media, which was due to be heard in August.
Two detectives visited Mr Madafferi (pictured) at his fruit shop in south-eastern Melbourne, court documents have alleged
Two detectives visited Mr Madafferi (pictured) at his fruit shop in south-eastern Melbourne, court documents have alleged
Court documents claim that police have accused Antonio 'Tony' Madafferi of allegedly put the $200,000 bounty on the head of Joe Acquaro (pictured) because he believed Acquaro was leaking information to the media
Court documents claim that police have accused Antonio 'Tony' Madafferi of allegedly put the $200,000 bounty on the head of Joe Acquaro (pictured) because he believed Acquaro was leaking information to the media