Italian Authorities Deliver Major Blow to Sicilian Mafia in Palermo Raids In a sweeping crackdown on organized crime, Italian authorities arrested nearly 150 individuals in Palermo, dealing a significant blow to the notorious Sicilian mafia, Cosa Nostra. The large-scale operation, carried out in the early hours of the morning, involved over 1,200 officers executing warrants … [Read more…]
Matteo Messina Denaro arrested in Palermo after 30 years on the run Matteo Messina Denaro is one of Italy’s most wanted criminals and is considered the last “godfather” of the Sicilian mafia. He was arrested in Palermo, Sicily on Monday after 30 years on the run. Denaro is alleged to be a boss of the … [Read more…]
Matteo Messina Denaro sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia trial Sicily’s most wanted man, Matteo Messina Denaro, has been sentenced to life in an absentia trial Tuesday evening. Denaro has been convicted on the counts of murdering two anti-mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, among others, while serving as alleged leader of the Sicilian … [Read more…]
[VIDEO] Mafia extortionist arrested after secret film emerges A mafia extortionist finds himself arrested after a video emerges of him trying to collect pizzo, protection money, from local businessman, Giuseppe Piraino. Piraino seemingly resisted the mafioso by showing him a picture of Paolo Borsellino and Giovanni Falcone, two former anti-mafia judges killed by cosa nostra back … [Read more…]
Italian officials ramp up efforts to protect companies from mafia infiltration Italy has increased efforts to block mafia infiltration into companies struggling financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials have been handing out an average of 150 “anti-mafia” bans every month since the beginning of 2020. These bans have been used to prevent companies from … [Read more…]
For years anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri, 62, has been preparing for an upcoming ‘historic’ trial against Italy’s infamous ‘Ndrangheta. Gathering together an enormous amount of evidence against hundreds of suspects. The first round of this court battle happened on Friday at a preliminary hearing in Rome. A case like this has not been seen since … [Read more…]
Giuseppe Fanara, 60, a former member of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra has bitten off and swallowed a prison guard’s finger. Fanara, who is serving a life sentence at Italy’s Rebibbia prison in Rome, was supposedly so upset that his prison cell was being inspected, bit off and swallowed the guard’s pinky finger. Fanara, whose new … [Read more…]
Leonardo Badalamenti, 60, son of top 1970s Sicilian mafia boss, Gaetano Badalamenti, was arrested on Wednesday in Sicily. The Italian police said they were acting on a Brazilian international arrest warrant. Badalamenti is wanted by the Brazilian government for bank fraud and drug trafficking, crimes he committed in the country using an alias. He has … [Read more…]
A joint Italian and Swiss sting operation against the ‘Ndrangheta has resulted in the arrest of 75 suspects and the seizure of goods worth 169 million euros ($188 million USD). A further 83 suspects were placed under investigation but were not arrested at this time. Italy’s financial police said that the large operation involved 700 … [Read more…]
A picture-perfect Italian town in the foothills of Sicily’s picturesque countryside, Corleone has a ruthless past. Corleone consists of bell towers, ornate churches, and a breathtaking view of the valley below. A maze of narrow cobblestone streets leads to small family-run cafes and bakeries. Some of Cosa Nostra’s most notorious bosses were born in this … [Read more…]
One of the world’s most wanted gangsters, Roland “Mr. Big” Tan, has died of cardiac arrest at the age of 72. It happened while he was hosting a dinner party in his Copenhagen home. Tan has been on the run from authorities in Singapore since the 1960s for an alleged gangland murder over half a … [Read more…]
Ricardo Barbaro had been a fugitive since his girlfriend, Ellie Price was found dead in her Melbourne townhouse 10 days ago. The manhunt finally came to an end early Thursday morning when he was arrested in western Sydney. The police said they received a call around 11 pm on Wednesday regarding a man in the … [Read more…]
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: An appeal has been launched by a kingpin of what is still Australia’s biggest importation of ecstasy tablets. Senior Calabrian mafia member Saverio Zirilli recently had his first hearing in Victoria’s Court of Appeal. Currently serving a 26-year prison sentence, Zirilli’s grounds for appeal is the fact that his defense attorney, Nicola Gobbo, … [Read more…]
MILAN: Italian police today announced the arrest of 91 people associated with the Sicilian Mafia during nationwide raids. They include bosses, loan sharks, underlings, frontmen, and everything in between. The Guardia di Finanza, Italy’s financial crimes police also stated that they seized around 15 million euros ($16.2 million) in assets. The raids targeted the Ferrante … [Read more…]
A manhunt is underway by police in Victoria Australia for Ricardo “Ricky” Barbaro, 33 over the death of Ellie Price, 26. Miss Price’s bruised and battered body was found in her south Melbourne townhouse by loved ones on Monday. Investigators have since confirmed that the body had been lying there for at least a week. … [Read more…]