Francesco Del Balso a ranking member of the Rizzuto crime family has gained his freedom after more than nine years in prison and nine more months in a halfway house.
The 46-year-old mobster was allowed to return home but is still under close watch being supervised electronically via a GPS bracelet. He was sent to the halfway house back in May of last year living under these extremely strict conditions with his supervisors knowing his location at all times. Del Balso had to agree to continue these strict surveillance measures set forth by the Parole Board of Canada in their decision according to the report. He served as a lieutenant under former interim Montreal mafia leader Francesco Arcadi and was the right hand man of aspiring leader Lorenzo Giordano. He was one of six Rizzuto family leaders arrested in Operation Colosseum and was sentenced to 11 years behind bars.
“Francesco Del Balso”
Only two of those six Rizzuto family leaders are still alive in Del Balso and Arcadi who were both behind bars during much of the Montreal mafia war. He and Arcadi were released for a short time but the murders of key Rizzuto family mobsters Giordano and Rocco Sollecito led corrections authorities to put them back in prison for their own safety. The Parole Board of Canada informed Del Balso that he was likely one of the next to be on the execution list of Montreal mafia members. He claimed he was certain his life would not be in danger on the streets but he could not supply the PBC with where he was getting this information.
With the more recent murders of key members like Giordano and Sollecito and the former interim mafia leaders Stefano Sollecito and Leonardo Rizzuto under indictment, the Rizzuto family remains decimated. With the ongoing Montreal mafia war yet to be resolved both Del Balso and Arcadi could very well be targeted by Rizzuto family enemies.
Well they have to let Del Balso and Arcadi back on the streets eventually free and clear even if it is likely they will be targets. Be interesting to see what kind of moves Arcadi makes more so then Del Balso who seemed to be more of a soldier then a leader for most part. Would think Arcadi is seen by rivals as a much bigger target.
should be interested indeed. Del Balso was a CAPO but with all the murders he might be pushed into a leadership position behind Arcadi of course. alot of reports in the MTL media that Del Balso is next on the HIT PARADE.
i think the fact he has such tight restrictions and is probably under surveillance might in fact protect his life.
He seems real likely to be sitting on top of what ever hit list remains for sure. I don’t know if he has the juice and respect level to step into a direct leadership spot but he would be a key guy for whomever is left like Arcadi and perhaps Sollecito as they try and reorganized and keep the fight up. But he probably won’t be of much use until those tight restrictions are over which as you mentioned is probably what helps keep him alive for now as well.
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/salvatore-scoppa-linked-to-montreal-mafia-shot-in-terrebonne
another attempted hit last night
Dam, serve your time in prison and then come back to nothing presumably. That must suck given I’m sure he was expecting some sort of promotion or honor if his faction was still in control.
Esp when you do the stand up thing and hold your tongue do ya time. Now ya come out and well things are crumbling and ya possibly have a target on your back with little support. sucks indeed
there was report yesterday in the news. apparently in the last few weeks he has been trying to make alliances with major players in the mob has been shut down. a lot of mobster (rizzutos included) actually blame him for talking to much on the phone which led to operation colisee that got them all locked up. if you search the net, you tube you can hear a lot of the recordings. in one of them he is heard treating a ceramics contractor telling him if he ever returns to mtl he wont ever leave!
Only a matter of time before this one gets clipped too