Leonardo Rizzuto and Stefano Sollecito the alleged heads of the Montreal Mafia were acquitted of charges of gangsterism and conspiracy to traffic cocaine in Quebec Superior Court.
The two reputed mobsters which authorities believed had taken control of the Montreal mob were arrested back in 2015 during an investigation by a joint task force into organized crime. Leonardo the son of former Rizzuto crime family Godfather Vito Rizzuto who passed away back in 2013 had been held without bail since his arrest. Stefano the son of former Rizzuto family leader Rocco Sollecito who was murdered back in 2016 was granted bail so he could undergo cancer treatments. The case against them crumbled when a Judge ruled that authorities had illegally wiretapped them in the offices of their lawyer according to the Montreal Gazette report.
“Leonardo Rizzuto”
Authorities were able to install hidden cameras and microphones around the office of former lawyer Loris Cavaliere where police suspected the mobsters were having meetings. The recording devices were placed in the personal office, reception, and the conference room of the law office. The vast majority of the evidence against Rizzuto and Sollecito came from a conversation investigators intercepted from the conference room and reception area. But the judge agreed to a defense request to have the wiretap evidence excluded from the case because it was in violation of the constitutional right to solicitor-client privilege. The judge noted that Cavaliere’s personal office was a place these types of conversations could be legally intercepted but not the conference and reception rooms because they were used by other lawyers and clients.
“Stefano Sollecito”
Investigators didn’t have sufficient measures in place to prevent the interception of conversations between other lawyers and other clients at the office who had the right to be fully protected from intrusion said the judge. Rizzuto is not completely out of the woods yet as he is still facing firearm and drug possession charges but he has been released from prison while he awaits the outcome of this other case. The mafia in Montreal was in the midst of a bloody mafia war when the two mobsters were taken into custody. But the violence has subsided of late leading many to wonder if the Montreal mafia war has come to an end.
Now that Rizzuto and Sollecito have been acquitted and are back on the streets seemingly clear of most of their legal woes it will be interesting to see what impact this has. Have the rival sides come to an understanding and are Rizzuto and Sollecito still in control or have new leaders emerged since there arrests?
Well that could certainly change some things in Montreal! Kind of a stunning turn of events as it looked like those guys were done for. Gonna be a lot of eyes watching to see what happens next and if nothing then one has to wonder if the war may indeed be over and somekind of agreement has been reached among the factions.
WOW, stunning the Montreal police really fucked up. they had these guys dead. but illegal wiretaps lollll
right, what a major misstep. when this indictment came down I also thought they were both pretty much done for and now this. Will def be interesting to see what their next step is esp if Rizzuto beats the remaining couple charges.
You think they get killed?
I kinda think that’s likely
well apparently there has been a truce, however with them out of jail ( everybody expecting them to get hit with many years) this may destabilize Montreal once again.
Yea I don’t see any truce holding up.. too much blood and treachery on all sides.
Wonder where scarcella and crew is in all of this, Quebec HA are pushing into Ontario and there is infighting between angels now and there is also word that the commisso’s are pitted against the HA and Wolfpack.. bunch of fires on tattoo parlours cottages etc owned by HA and as we know a lot of shootings of mobsters houses etc,
I just don’t think Rizzuto or Sollecito have the charisma or leadership ability or seniority to take the reigns
agreed, they migght have the ability to take the reigns of the Sicialians but definitly not unite the clans and become godfathers.
Can likely conclude del balso and friends will be out for blood, among others
great timing cause delbaso was released yesterday lol
I knew it was soon didn’t know that soon lol
They have a heavy crew same with the toronto zips from sicily they control the drugs these bikers will always be reliant on them same with local street gangs like the black hation dudes.
These dudes are walking dead
Agreed. Sollecito been out whole time but his bail conditions probably prevented him from being overly visible, plus I’d imagine surveillance/a little constant police harassment to try to trip him up on a breach. But yea I wouldn’t be surprised to hear Rizzuto dead within a few months.
Then what? Cedz, any other Rizzutos you know who can or would step in? And by Rizzutos I mean actual family.
you forget Solecito has also been very sick with cancer the better part of three years. no more family he is the last one….
I guess it’s unlikely any sons nick jr or Leonardo may have, or nephews etc would want to or know how to get involved.
So if Leonardo goes it’s the end of the Rizzuto reign. Too symbolic to let any truce get in the way in my opinion.
i think the stage is definitly set for a final showdown . with solecito and rizzuto out, delbaso out yesterday, and Miriachi released last month. all the key actors are out. ….
I have a feeling they will both be safe. Anyone targeting them would likely be very concerned that authorities will use them as bait and keep close eye on them. That would be the smart play for anyone investigating any of the recent killings.
anybody who has any common sense would think that, however if you look at what happened with Delbaso, who had to wear a gps on his ankle two brain dead goons showed up at his house….
I give within 3 months there will be violence.
Granted this is Canada we’re discussing and not the USA but this is exactly the type of behavior by Federal Governments that people are tired of. The concept of having confidentiality within the walls of your attorneys office is a big deal. I’m not sure how it works in Canada but I would assume is fairly similar to America regarding standards for a Wiretap. The legal standards are high and rightfully so. The idea of listening and recording citizens private communications is a serious matter. The idea of doing that in a Defence Attorneys office is a major thing. It was specifically designed to be a safe and basically sacred relationship same as with a Priest. There are only very rare cases when its been permitted for a Attorneys Office to be Wiretapped at least in the USA. I’m no gangster fanboy but I totally agree with the judges excluding all evidence resulting from the Wiretaps. I won’t go into detail but I’ve personally been screwed over by Cutthroat Feds and US Attorneys. As a result I feel very strongly about their below the belt tactics to achieve their goals. The ends do not always justify the means. Go track down somw f*****g Jihadis already.
they had permission from another judge to wiretap the office due to the fact they proved that there lawyer (who plead guilty got 3 years) was part of the crime family. its my understanding that they put a bug in a different room were other clients unrelated held meetings for this reason the evidence got thrown out.
Funny because Vito beat a importation rap years ago cuz of an illegal bug I think in Newfoundland.
They don’t learn. Almost seems too coincidental/lucky to be true.
People seriously underestimate the reach of the Montreal mafia and the deeply rooted corruption in Quebec that they always have been intertwined with. Alfonso Gagliano being prime example.
ya seriously what a f*****g coincidence eh loll
Can anyone on here translate French to English. There’s been a lot of good articles on the life and death of nicolo’s wife Libertina Manno Rizzuto but there all in French. She died last week. She was no typical mob wife.
most interesting part for me was who was at attendance at the funeral. all the big names of the rizzuto clan, (solecito, marco pizzi, Domenico Manno Antonio Mucci, Antonio Vanelli Nicola Spagnolo Nicolo Milioto)
Interesting I’ve always wondered what side mucci was on cause he’s calbrese. I think he always tried to play neutral. I find the English press do a very bad job covering the Montreal mafia.
definitely right about the French press does an awesome job of covering the mob.in depth info on a weekly basis (journaldemontreal, lapresse and TVA) apparently Solecito and Rizzuto offered Mucci the role of street boss when they indicted in 2015.
I live in Toronto we have very weak laws you cannot do more then 25 years for any crime in Canada. The Montreal mafia version of RICO is Gangerism which is only two year sentence here. You can do 7 years for murder here in some cases. You usually always receive parole 66% of your time sentenced unless you’re a real prick or something.
My French is a little rusty but news reports are saying Libertina Rizzuto Vito’s Mom and Nicolo Sr’s wife has died.