Jonathan Massari along with two other men and a woman have been arrested for four murders including those of Rizzuto crime family leaders Rocco Sollecito and Lorenzo Giordano.
Arrested along with Massari were Dominico Scarfo, Guy Dion, and Marie-Josée Viau. According to Chief Inspector Guy Lapointe, the four defendants will be charged with planning and executing the 2016 murders of Giordano and Sollecito. They are also suspected of playing a role in the disappearance of brothers Vincenzo and Giuseppe Falduto. Lapointe said “These are all individuals that have been around the organization, running drug-trafficking rings. For us, it’s clear these individuals are related to the Italian Mafia. There is no question there.”
According to Lapointe police believe the killing of mobster Salvatore Scoppa last year was probably revenge for the 2016 mafia hits on Sollecito and Giordano. “To us, Scoppa and Jonathan Massari were the leaders behind these four homicides (in 2016), and for us, the murder of Scoppa was a response to those homicides,” Lapointe said according to a Montreal Gazette report.
Jonathan Massari has been involved with the Montreal Mafia since at least 2011 mostly operating in the cities drug trade. The 2016 murder of the Giordano, Sollecito, and the Falduto brothers were believed to be part of the struggle between Calabrian and Sicilian mafia factions vying for control of the cities lucrative drug markets. Many believe the Ndrangheta played some kind of role in the attacks on the Sicilian based Rizzuto family.
After the fall of the once-powerful Rizzuto clan and the death of longtime godfather Vito Rizzuto Italian organized crime in Montreal was trying to reorganize itself. Rocco Sollecito was seen as a highly influential member of what remained of the old guard of the Rizzuto’s. Giordano was also seen as someone who could play a key role in things if the Rizzuto family somehow remained in power.
The 10-month investigation into the Canadian mafia murders dubbed Project Préméditer could produce even more results in the coming days said, Lapointe. “There is an assumption that these organized crime murders generally can’t be solved. For us, this sends a really clear message to organized crime members that these murders can’t just be committed without fear of being arrested.”
