{{short description|Australian boxer (born 1955)}} {{Use Australian English|date=December 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox person |image= | name = Mick Gatto | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1955|8|6}} | birth_place = | birth_name = Domenic Gatto | occupation = {{hlist|Businessman|mediator||event promoter}} | spouse = Cheryle Gatto | footnotes = <ref name="age1"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/news/carbone--money/gatto-hits-headlines-in-noosa/2005/11/07/1131212003495.html|title=Gatto hits headlines in Noosa|work=The Age|author=Carbone, Suzanne|author2=Money, Lawrence|date=8 November 2005|access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="age3">{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/the-master-networker/2007/10/07/1191695737655.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1|title=The Master Networker|first=Nick|last=McKenzie|work=The Age|date=8 October 2007|access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/mar/17/mick-gatto-launches-debt-collection-agency-for-horse-racing-industry|title=Mick Gatto launches debt collection agency for horse racing industry|author=Davey, Melissa|work=Guardian Australia|date=17 March 2015}}</ref> }}

'''Domenic''' "'''Mick'''" '''Gatto''' (born 6 August 1955) is an Australian boxer, debt collector, and professional mediator within the Victorian building industry. He was named as a standover man during the Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry.<ref name="age1">{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/23/1079939645362.html|title=Gatto emerges reluctantly from the shadows|work=The Age|author=Munro, Ian|date=24 March 2004|access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref> Gatto was involved in Melbourne's illegal gambling scene in the 1980s and 1990s.<ref name="age3"/> In 2004 Gatto was given a ten-year gaming ban, subsequently increased to a lifetime ban.<ref name=SatPaper/>

Gatto was raised in Melbourne and commenced working in the fruit and vegetable industry.<ref name="age1"/>

==Murder acquittal== {{main|Melbourne gangland killings}} In 2004 Gatto was charged with the murder of Andrew Veniamin, a suspected underworld hitman. Gatto was remanded in custody for 18 months. He was found not guilty at trial, during which Gatto claimed he had acted in self-defence<ref name=SatPaper>{{cite news |url=https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/law-crime/2014/10/25/professional-hardman-mick-gattos-gangland-style/14141556001161|title=Professional hardman Mick Gatto's gangland style|author=Bowles, Robin|work=The Saturday Paper|date=25 October 2014|access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref> after Veniamin pulled out a .38 handgun and threatened to kill him. Gatto claimed that during a struggle he was able to turn the gun around on Veniamin and fire one shot into his neck, and one shot in the eye. He also claimed that during the argument, Veniamin had implicated himself in the deaths of Dino Dibra, Paul Kallipolitis and Graham Kinniburgh.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/crime--corruption/lawyers-guns-and-gatto/2005/06/18/1119034100459.html |title=Lawyers, guns and Gatto |author=Russell, Mark|work=The Age|date=9 June 2005}}</ref>

At the time of charging Vince Benvenuto with the 2002 murder of Victor Peirce, it was alleged that Gatto had links to both men and to Faruk Orman,<ref>{{cite news|title=Heat on Gatto as man charged with Peirce murder|author=McKenzie, Nick|author2=Hagan, Kate|url=https://www.farmonline.com.au/story/804663/heat-on-gatto-as-man-charged-with-peirce-murder/|date=14 July 2008|work=Farm Online|access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref> the man later convicted of Peirce's murder and acquitted in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-26/faruk-orman-walks-free-over-lawyer-x-scandal/11348676|title = Gangland figure wipes away tears as court grants freedom due to Lawyer X|newspaper = ABC News|date = 26 July 2019}}</ref> No charges were laid against Gatto.<ref>{{cite news|title=Getaway driver in Victor Peirce murder jailed for 20 years |first=Melissa |last=Iaria |date=25 November 2009|access-date=17 April 2011|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/breaking-news/getaway-driver-in-victor-peirce-murder-jailed-for-20-years/story-e6frea73-1225803710289 |newspaper=Adelaide Now}}</ref>

==Royal Commission== In proceedings before the Cole Royal Commission, it was heard that Gatto was involved in resolving certain business disputes. Witnesses attested that Gatto and his business associate, David "the Rock" Hedgcock, had been involved in solving industrial relations problems in the construction industry. One witness, a representative of Baulderstone Hornibrook expressed the fears of a colleague stating, "...{{nbsp}}he expressed some concerns about his safety, that people associated with this deal were the sorts of people that break legs{{nbsp}}..." Gatto and Hedgcock's solicitor rejected any implication they had used threats or intimidation. Appearing before the Royal Commission in 2002, Gatto claimed he was being made a scapegoat by the inquiry and strenuously denied he was a standover man.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702152126/http://www.melbournecrime.bizhosting.com/mick.gatto.htm|title=Dominic "Mick" Gatto|work=Melbourne Crime: A journey into the Melbourne underworld|publisher=Crime Writers Association of Australia|url=http://www.melbournecrime.bizhosting.com/mick.gatto.htm|archive-date=2 July 2007|access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref> {{blockquote|I'm not a standover man. I'm not a man of ill repute. Fair enough I've got a chequered past.{{nbsp}}... but I paid for{{nbsp}}... whatever I have done wrong. I don't appreciate this nonsense that you are looking for someone to blame to justify your existence here today, to justify 300 investigators and teams of lawyers. You won't be justifying your existence with me. I promise you. I will fight you all the way, tooth and nail.|Mick Gatto, before the Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry, 28 February 2002.}}

==Community involvement concerns== When concerns were raised in the media regarding Sydney neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo in 2019, the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' was contacted by an associate of Gatto. The associate, according to the reporter Kate McClymont, expressed concern to the newspaper at the questions they were raising with Teo, including about alleged sexual harassment of colleagues in Arkansas, United States. Teo denied he had raised the matter of the ''Herald''{{-'}}s questions with Gatto.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McClymont |first1=Kate |title=Brilliant, adored, flawed: Dr Charlie Teo unmasked |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/brilliant-adored-flawed-dr-charlie-teo-unmasked-20190904-p52nwi.html |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=5 September 2019 |author-link=Kate McClymont |date=4 September 2019}}</ref> Gatto had hosted a fundraising dinner for Teo's Cure for Life Foundation in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gatto raises $600k to fight cancer |access-date=5 September 2019 |date=23 November 2012 |work=News.com.au |url=https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/mick-gatto-raises-600000-to-fight-brain-cancer/news-story/b0e9a7d6473e130b66b1cf8f13d7a58e }}</ref> Gatto stated in 2014 that he had raised over $4.5&nbsp;million for charity over ten years.<ref name=SatPaper/>

In 2017 it was alleged by former employees of the football club that Gatto had been approached to assist in the resolution of matters involving Stephen Dank and the Essendon Football Club supplements controversy; the club denied this.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/mar/09/essendon-deny-reports-club-reached-out-to-mick-gatto-during-doping-scandal|title=Essendon deny reports club reached out to Mick Gatto during doping scandal|agency=Australian Associated Press|work=Guardian Australia|date=9 March 2017}}</ref>

==Legal and tax problems== A former boxing promoter, the Napthine government (of the state of Victoria) withdrew{{why|date=October 2024}} his fight promotional licence.<ref name=SatPaper/>

In 2016, Gatto was charged with possession of an unregistered firearm and of possession of a firearm and ammunition without a licence.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/mick-gatto-leaves-court-in-black-rollsroyce-20160520-gozpr8.html|title=Mick Gatto leaves court in black Rolls-Royce|work=The Age|author=Cooper, Adam|author2=Vedelago, Chris|date=20 May 2016|access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref> He told the court he kept the loaded sawn-off shotgun in his home because of fears for his life, having been threatened by a criminal cartel. The magistrate accepted his fears were genuinely held. Gatto pleaded guilty to two weapons offences and was fined.<ref>{{cite news |title=Crime figure Mick Gatto fined over discovery of loaded shotgun in ensuite |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-25/crime-figure-mick-gatto-fined-over-discovery-of-loaded-shotgun-/7657924 |work=ABC News |date=25 July 2016 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

In April 2017 it was reported that Gatto settled a long-running dispute with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). It was claimed that Gatto and his family owed the ATO $15&nbsp;million; and both parties agreed to settle the matter for less than $4&nbsp;million. It was reported that in order to pay the ATO, Gatto sold his {{VICcity|Lower Plenty}} home for $4.1&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/gatto-settles-15m-tax-bill-for-less-than-4m-20170426-gvsqx3.html|title=Gatto settles $15m tax bill for less than $4m|work=The Age|author2=Houston, Cameron|author1=Vedelago, Chris|date=26 April 2017|access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref> Gatto and his family also own a residence at {{VICcity|Mount Martha}}, on the Mornington Peninsula.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/homes-of-underworld-figure-mick-gatto-raided-in-melbourne-20160212-gmsyrg.html|title=Homes of underworld figure Mick Gatto raided in Melbourne|work=The Age|author2=Houston, Cameron|author1=Vedelago, Chris|author3=Mills, Tammy|date=12 February 2016|access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref>

In 2020 Gatto launched a defamation lawsuit against the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Gatto claimed the article made him out to be a "murderer" and "one of Australia's most violent criminals".<ref>{{Cite news|agency=Australian Associated Press |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jul/22/mick-gatto-sues-abc-for-defamation-saying-hurtful-article-implies-he-is-a-hitman|title=Mick Gatto sues ABC for defamation, saying 'hurtful' article implies he is a hitman|work=The Guardian|date=22 July 2020}}</ref> In 2021 Justice Andrew Keogh ruled in favour of the ABC, stating "Far from being distorted, the article was entirely accurate and correlated with what occurred in those parts of the Proceedings which were reported."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-26/mick-gatto-loses-defamation-case-against-abc/13195386|title = Mick Gatto loses defamation case against ABC over Lawyer X article|newspaper = ABC News|date = 26 February 2021}}</ref>

==Published works== *{{cite book |author1=Gatto, Mick |author2=Noble, Tom |title=I, Mick Gatto |publisher=Melbourne University Publishing |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-522-85701-6|ref=none}}

==In popular culture== In the Australian TV drama series ''Underbelly'' based on the Melbourne gangland killings, Gatto was portrayed by actor Simon Westaway, and in the second series, by Luke McKenzie.

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

{{Melbourne gangland killings}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gatto, Mick}} Category:1955 births Category:Australian businesspeople Category:Heavyweight boxers Category:Living people Category:Melbourne gangland killings Category:Australian people of Italian descent Category:Sportspeople of Italian descent Category:Australian autobiographers Category:Australian male boxers Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Boxers from Melbourne Category:People acquitted of murder Category:Australian gangsters Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen