A notorious gangster who survived fire bombings and shootings was taken out in a professional hit after a substantial bounty was put on his head, it’s claimed.
Feared gangland figure Sam Abdulrahim, nicknamed ‘The Punisher’, was shot dead in a hail of bullets outside a hotel in Melbourne, Australia, on Tuesday morning in an execution-style slaying.
His killing is the latest incident in a long-running, bloody turf war raging on the city’s streets – a bloody battle that saw Abdulrahim, a former motorcycle gang member-turned-boxer, survive multiple attempts on his life since 2017.
Now it’s emerged the 32-year-old had a $2,000,000 contract out on him, according to underworld sources, after amassing multiple enemies and becoming Melbourne’s ‘most wanted man’.
And chillingly, a newspaper predicted his enemies were closing in just a day before he was shot dead in front of his girlfriend outside The Quest Hotel, Daily Mail Australia reports.
Abdulrahim had so many enemies because ‘he’s p***ed off so many people over the years’ by jumping from side to side, another underworld source told the publication Vedelago back in September.
It’s claimed multiple men carried out the ‘pure execution’ before speeding off in a stolen white Porsche, according to the Herald Sun, which was later found burnt out just less an a mile away from the shooting.
Abdulrahim had only been in Melbourne for one night after flying in from Thailand, it’s claimed.
A source told the Herald Sun: ‘Someone sold him out.’
Abdulrahim’s violent ways first came to prominence when he was involved in a brawl in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in 2015.
That same year, he killed Muriel Hullett, 88, after crashing his Ferrari 360 Spider into oncoming traffic.
In June 2022, he survived an execution attempt when gunmen shot at him eight times while he left his cousin’s funeral.
Talking about the execution attempt a few months later on the You cannot Be Serious podcast hosted by former Aussie rules footballer Sam Newman, he said: ‘When the car pulled up next to me, I thought it was one of my mates.
‘Then I looked up and I just seen something pointed at me and I thought surely this is a joke.
‘Then I just remember getting pumped with bullets.’
In the same episode, he prophetically dismissed fearing for his life, adding: ‘You know, when my time is up, my time is up.’
Abulrahim’s family have since vowed revenge following his death. His sister Ektimal wrote on social media: ‘Whoever shot my brother to death, I’m after u mother f***er.
‘I know it’s u dog. Never ends here.’
Abdulrahim is believed to have made enemies with Middle Eastern crime bosses involved in illicit tobacco trade, as well as the Mongols and Comanchero motorcycle gangs.
Detective inspector Dean Thomas said during a press conference threats had been made against Abdulrahim since 2016.
On July 3, 2019, he was attacked with a rock on his first day in jail.
A venue which was set to hold a boxing match that Abdulrahim was meant to attend was burned down in February last year.
In May last year, Abdulrahim was lured out of his home and his parents cars were set on fire.
A second group of shooters lay in wait and fired at him 17 times but missed.
The gunmen returned weeks later and shot at the house again. This time Abdulrahim had gone into hiding.
A relative of his was held at gunpoint and released in exchange for $150,0000 late last year.
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