The Montreal mafia war rages on as multiple locations with links to the remaining members of the Rizzuto crime family have recently been targeted in arson attacks.
These types of arson attacks used in underworld circles to send a message have often been followed by more violence and a rise in the body count. These latest attacks may be linked to a fight for control of a lucrative mafia bookmaking operation run by the crumbling Sicilian based clan. The paris sports bookmaking operation is estimated to generate approx $26 million dollars a year and has long been a key Rizzuto family business. The once powerful Sicilian based crime family has continued to falter losing its grip on the Montreal underworld after the death of many of its high-ranking members during this ongoing bloody conflict.
The lucrative bookmaking operation is currently controlled by Montreal mob leader Stefano Sollecito according to multiple sources. He is believed to have inherited the operation from fellow mobster Lorenzo Giordano who was murdered earlier this year. Sollecito and Leonardo Rizzuto were identified as the new leaders of the Montreal mafia by authorities before their arrest on cocaine conspiracy charges in 2015. Stefano’s father Rocco Sollecito considered by many to also be a top leader of the Rizzuto family was also murdered in May further weakening the beleaguered organization. The reign of the Sicilian faction is seemingly at an end and wrestling away control of this vital business may be one of the final nails in its coffin.
It is unknown as to who exactly is behind these attacks on the Rizzuto family but many speculate that it may be the rival Calabrian-based Ndrangheta. The fight for the highly profitable bookmaking operation is about much more than a business it’s about power and control and who takes over the Montreal mafia moving forward. The once unified network of mobsters, bikers, street gangs, and corrupt officials held in place by now deceased powerful mob boss Vito Rizzuto has crumbled and the message from the start of this conflict seems clear that the reign of the Rizzuto’s will end. But the fight rages on as the Rizzuto’s have refused to go quietly and an end to the mafia war may not yet be in sight.
Got to hand it to the Rizzuto Family they have definitely not folded with out a fight but it seems like the writing has been on the wall and they are now only hanging on by a thread. Got to think that Sollecito and others are prime targets and it wouldn’t take many more dominoes to fall for the new leaders to take full control and we all find out who has been behind this war!
I’ve got to admit i don’t know much about the Canadian Mob beyond Rizzuto’s old affiliation w/NYC Bonnano Family. What i don’t understand is why no others have been able to “live/work” like NYC 5 Families. Is it b/c NYC wanted it like that or not enough to go around? Just asking.
Its because in Canada there is only a population of 36 million people in total thats smaller then the state of California. In Montreal and GTA they have an italian population but its no where the population that the USA has. Most of the day to day crime in Canada is involved with the street gangs being the Hations, Jamaicans or the Asians. Even though the bikers do have a strong presence in Canada as well.
Thanks for info. Another question,if you can answer, If Bonnanos’ were still a strong Fam or backer would this “fighting” be going on against Rizzuto’s? Oris this more “vendetta” b/c of how they came to Power by,i think, the killing of the Sicilian Boss at the time? If you can’t answer that’s fine
If the Joe Massino never snitched on many people including the future bosses of the bonannos then yes the bonanno crime family would still have a connection and would be receiving envelopes. The Italian mob in Canada isn’t that powerful they control the drugs that get imported into Montreal and sell it to leaders of the hells angels and black and Asian street gangs. Some of the wise guys do have gambling rackets but gambling is legal in Canada like sports betting you can go to any corner store and place a bet. Also there is no RICO statue in Canada and can only be held behind bars for maximum of 25 years of any crime you commit. All the mafia dons in the USA would of gotten released under Canadian laws. If the famous commission case were tried in Canada all those 5 bosses would and could of only gotten 25 years here. Black street gangs get young offenders to kill people here because you can only do 7 years maximum as a young offender for a murder.