A subpoena has been issued to Vito Rizzuto earlier this week by Quebec police to appear before the public inquiry on corruption in the construction industry.
The Montreal Mafia don was stopped on streets of Quebec and questioned by police about the recent gangland hits in Montreal and issued the subpoena by a bailiff according to sources. Rizzuto was said to be wearing a bullet proof vest while traveling through the city. This was the first time since Rizzuto returned to Canada from his U.S. prison sentence that he was seen by Quebec police.
“Vito Rizzuto”
Rizzuto’s name has come up multiple times from various witnesses so far in the construction inquiry. Lino Zambito a former construction entrepreneur in Quebec testified that the Rizzuto crime family received 2.5% of value of all excavation contracts received from the city of Montreal. Testimony was also given by a retired city engineer who claimed he went on a golfing trip with Rizzuto and helped him with regular access to City Hall.
This is not the first time that high ranking members of organized crime have been called to testify at a Quebec inquiry. In the mid 1970’s Canadian mafia leaders Vic Controni and Paolo Violi were both called to testify. Both mobsters refused to testify and were both sent to prison for a year as a consequence.
Raynald Desjardins a former associate of Rizzuto has also been called to testify. Desjardins is currently jailed awaiting trial for the murder of former Bonanno crime family boss Salvatore Montagna a casualty of the bloody Montreal mafia war.
