Prof/Dr Sergi, Welcome back!

[AustraliaSteve]

Hey guys,
So anyone who’s serious about researching ‘ndrangheta activity around the world has more than likely read some of her publications. Professor/Dr Anna Sergi is regarded as a leading expert on ‘ndrangheta, and she is also a member of The Black Hand Forum (again!). Anyway, I figure this a great opportunity as a space for researchers and mob-watchers to share views and information. Anna has also kindly agreed to field some questions; in the past she’s very often clarified things for me.

I’ll start; Anna, the Tripodi family. I’m trying to trace the history of Joe Guerino Tripodi, the NSW politician.
Rocco and Serafino were found with a murder weapon (Francesco Mule/Mole in 1956) at the Brunswick meeting in Melbourne. Rocco , Serafino, Vincenzo and Antonio were at the meeting. Their cousins Francesco and Salvatore Tripodi were charged with the 1964 murder of their brother in law, Antonio Monaco.
But I’m getting off track. Is the Tripodi family a presence in Calabrian ‘ndrangheta circles? Are there still links there to Australia?

Also, you recently quoted from the below article on Twitter (X, whatever). It paints a pretty bleak picture. Some of the statistics they quote towards the end, do you consider them alarmist or true? What’s your opinion on the future of Calabria and the blight of ‘ndrangheta? A big question I know.
https://www.rivistailmulino.it/a/calab ... ia-estrema

Welcome to the forum Anna.

[AustraliaSteve]

Lol I’m at work atm so apologies for being a little rushed

Accidentally double posted, mods please delete the other thread!

[ANNAESSE]

Ciao Steve and hi everyone! Happy to be here!

The key thing is always location location location- where is this tripodi from? The Tripodi family was 'ndrangheta of the first time - between 1950s-1970s were in a feud with the Piromalli in Gioia Tauro and lost, and now they are pretty much absorbed into others in Calabria. I would be surprised if there weren't links to Australia of some members, but they work within the bigger ones today...

[AustraliaSteve]

Oops, I edited my post after you replied.
What you mentioned is a definite lead for me though. Thank you Anna, as always.

[AustraliaSteve]

I’ll work on digging up where the Sydney Tripodi and their Melbourne cousins hail from. A colleague of mine named Paulie pointed out an interesting link to recently.
At the 1957 meeting of ‘ndranghetisti in Brunswick, Melbourne, one of the attendees arrested by police was one Nazzaereno Di Pietro, born 03/04/1927 in Lubrichi, R.C. He is the father of Antonio Di Pietro, the latest alleged head of the Melbourne-based Barbaro/Madaferri ‘ndrine. As I understand, Lubrichi is quite close to Oppido Mamertina, birthplace of the Melbourne Madaferri brothers. It seems to illustrate your point about location.

[ANNAESSE]

Lubrichi is a small district of Santa Cristina d'Aspromonte, my mum's birthplace! This is great info about Di Pietro. Lubrichi and Santa Cristina are very close indeed to Oppido, but again, the links you seek between these Di Pietro and the Madafferi brothers probably developed already in Melbourne as the Di Pietros are not a ndrangheta family by origin.

[ANNAESSE]

(I'll leave your question about Calabria for now....)

[calabrianwatch]

Ciao Anna!
wondered if you could give us of what is happening now in San Luca after the recent European arrests in Eureka? Obviously I don't expect the clans to be over, but surely they are less powerful now?

[AustraliaSteve]

Speaking of Eureka, I had someone contact me claiming some pretty crazy things about Pasquale Bevilacqua and some possible corruption among Carabinieri in Bianco…? Funnily enough, it also tied to an Australian politician, this time Frank Carbone and the Molluso family…
In any case, the state of San Luca post-Eureka is definitely of interest.

[ANNAESSE]

San Luca is not going down just because of Eureka, as the people arrested are narcotraffickers not ndranghetisti. They are SO good at cocaine trade via Germany that after some months of calm will be back at it; more importantly San Luca is still with its own bosses and people so nothing changed there, just some hiccups with money flow (not that they have a cash flow situation)...

As for Bevilacqua, he has been arrested for proximity to literally anyone involved with mafia in Bianco so perhaps among them there was a local member of the carabinieri (I need to check the operation but honestly I don't think it was in there). Interesting about the politician, he had SEVERAl friends in Australia obviously and some obviously ndranghetisti.

[ANNAESSE]

Ciao Steve and hi everyone! Happy to be here!

I knew of this forum but never really used it before, so glad to be involved now!

The key thing is always location location location- where is this tripodi from? The Tripodi family was 'ndrangheta of the first time - between 1950s-1970s were in a feud with the Piromalli in Gioia Tauro and lost, and now they are pretty much absorbed into others in Calabria. I would be surprised if there weren't links to Australia of some members, but they work within the bigger ones today...

[Etna]

Ciao Steve and hi everyone! Happy to be here!

The key thing is always location location location- where is this tripodi from? The Tripodi family was 'ndrangheta of the first time - between 1950s-1970s were in a feud with the Piromalli in Gioia Tauro and lost, and now they are pretty much absorbed into others in Calabria. I would be surprised if there weren't links to Australia of some members, but they work within the bigger ones today...

Welcome, Dr. Sergi!

Your research and information is invaluable to us here. To say it is great to have you on the board is an understatement. I hope you enjoy speaking with us as much as we enjoy speaking with you!

[ANNAESSE]

I hope we can all learn from each other! I knew the forum but never engaged and it's a shame! If I can help clarify anything shoot away!

[Sol]

Welcome back Annaesse, great to have you here......Sol

[johnny_scootch]

Welcome Dr. Sergi, your presence certainly adds to the prestige of the forum. It's great to have you here as an active poster.