Is Catania actually stronger than Palermo currently?

[CabriniGreen]

https://www.maredolce.com/2021/06/08/tr ... a-polonia/

I was re- reading this article, and the thought occured to me...... is Catania currently the strongest mafia province? With Palermo under intense police pressure, and Trapani ruled by an invisible man, are the Catania clans and gangs the most active?

They seem to have one of Sicilys biggest sports betting networks......

Also, what do you guys think about all the dealing? Is it a response to a lack of pizzo collection? This level of dealing seems much higher than what it's been historically, or is that off? Is this a normal level of activity?


The Santopaola-Ercolano, Capello- Bornaccosi, Cursoti, Laudani, all seem really strong.

Three months of anti-mafia operations. From the Sicilian "Gomorra" to Poland
MAFIA AND ANTIMAFIA





Between arrests, detentions and anti-mafia investigations, hundreds of affiliates and blocked supporters, here is the chronological summary of three months of anti-mafia operations in Sicily (and elsewhere)
by Giovanni Burgio

In the 14 anti-mafia operations completed in the last three months (March-May 2021, here the report of February-March 2021) 202 people ended up in prison, 67 under house arrest, 21 with signature obligation, 400 under investigation. Almost 700 pawns directly or indirectly moved by the Sicilian Cosa Nostra which does not intend to leave its power on the territory and does not want to stop its illicit business.






The DIA as usual at the center of the numerous anti-mafia operations in Sicily
The geography of these last 14 raids is striking: only 3 in Palermo, the rest all in eastern Sicily (6 in Catania, 3 in Messina, 1 in Syracuse), with the exception of one in the center of Enna.

In short, the confirmation of the historic difference that exists in the Sicilian economy and also affects the Cosa Nostra: the wealthy propensity for business on the Ionian side in the face of the stagnation trend in western Sicily. And in this sense, the online gambling and betting sector emerges at the center of investigations and kidnappings.

In Palermo, however, there are confirmations and contradictions. Alongside the strict and exclusive control of the territory by the titled districts of Pagliarelli and Borgo Vecchio, we note the void and the consequent disorder left by the bosses who go to prison (shooting at the ZEN).





Eastern Sicily
In particular, Messina stands out, who has nothing in the province of "babba", quite the contrary. It "makes use" of young people in their twenties who peddle quietly in Taormina and Giardini Naxos, and boasts rival gangs who shoot themselves fiercely in the Giostra district of Messina.

The "Sipario" operation in Catania revealed one of the typical aspects of the Sicilian mafia: the contiguity between institutions and the mafia. A deputy brigadier of the Guardia di Finanza and three traffic policemen who, abusing their uniform, intimidate and falsify public documents in favor of the mafia gangs.

On May 4, all the news and online news flaunted the victorious revolt against the lace of Giuseppe Condorelli, the prince of Sicilian nougats. Too bad that in the investigation that saw Condorelli's firm and decisive position, other and more numerous entrepreneurs and merchants did business with the bosses, obtained their protection, advised them on how to launder dirty money.

In short, the fight against the Cosa Nostra, despite the numerous police operations and hundreds of arrests and detentions, is still long and difficult.





Rivers of money traveled between Sicily, Malta and Poland
A network of 887 online betting agencies throughout Italy. March 3, 2021: 12 arrested, 2 under house arrest, 336 under investigation.

In Lineri, a hamlet of Misterbianco (CT), the brothers Carmelo and Giuseppe Gabriele Placenti, a Mafia clan from Catania Ercolano-Santapaola, had devised a fairly efficient system to illegally collect cash, escape Italian controls and build a small empire of economic activities.

In fact, the 887 sports betting and gaming agencies scattered throughout the national territory only minimally focused on online gambling. Real wealth was accumulated through “over the counter” bets, that is, those made face-to-face and in cash. A mass of money of 32 million euros which was then transferred to Poland and Malta. From here he returned back to Italy, in Emilia Romagna and Puglia, in the form of purchases of land, buildings and productive activities.




The "keyboard mafia"
The entire online gaming network was without Italian authorization, and while servers and software were managed by IT engineers in Serbia, the ownership of the "Raisebet24.com" platform was Maltese precisely to make it more difficult to trace the link with Italy. and the crime network.

Wednesday, March 3, 12 people went to prison, 2 under house arrest and 9 people were banned from doing business. 336 are the suspects. The "Double game" operation, which began in 2015, blocked 80 million euros of assets, 62 of financial resources, 180,000 euros in cash.

“The keyboard mafia” was doing so well that it had to expand into western Sicily as well. The two Placenti brothers, in fact, were providing the necessary know-how to Matteo Messina Denaro's nephew, Francesco Guttadauro.




Anti-mafia operations: "Triade"
Stop 15 belonging to the Scalisi clan of Adrano. March 6, 2021: 14 arrests, 1 under house arrest.

In Adrano, in the Catania area, police and carabinieri operations continue unabated. The arrests of 10 and 23 February are in fact added to those of 6 March. The two mafia clans of Scalisi and Santangelo-Taccuni have thus seen their adherents decimated within a month.

On 6 March it fell in particular to the Scalisi family to undergo the restrictive measures, 14 in prison, one under house arrest.

The origin of the "Triad" operation seems to stem from the repentance of a 90-year-old member of the clan, Salvatore Giarrizzo, who in his statements reveals the history, organization and responsibilities of the men of the clan.

Always close to Adrano's family, Giarrizzo was appointed responsible for the various illicit affairs by Salvatore Calcagno, grandson of clan chief Giuseppe Scarvaglieri in prison at 41 bis.

The Calcagno is described by Giarrizzo as a real shadow man, who commands but does not show himself, who is responsible but does not act in the first person. A modern deus ex machina, but of crime.



King of Marijuana
On the other hand, the one who dealt with "dirty work", that is, the procurement, sale and management of drugs, was Nuccio Di Stefano, the "King of marijuana" as he himself liked to call himself.

A leading role is that played by Massimo Neri, defined as the collector of extortion. His prominent position is confirmed by the relationships he had with Antonio Luca Josè Pappalardo, exponent of the Laudani clan in the popular Canalicchio district of Catania. It is he who, having learned of Giarrizzo's repentance, wants to set fire to the sandwich van belonging to the repentant's family; this episode actually happened a few days before the arrests.

Giarrizzo tells of a real agreement-sharing between the two ruling families in Adrano, the Scalisi and the Santangelo. And when some thugs threaten the territory of the Scalisi, the exponents of the two Mafia families, respectively belonging to the Laudani and Santapaola of Catania, gather in a gym. Giarrizzo says that the summit of 21 August 2019, convened to decide who should deal drugs in the Etna center, essentially avoided a bloody clash between the Adranese gangs.




Anti-mafia operations: "Curtain"
A prototype of state-mafia relations destroyed. March 6, 2021: 2 arrests, 5 under house arrest, 3 with signature obligation.

On 6 March in Catania a textbook representation of the history of the mafia was staged. A clan referent, a deputy brigadier of the Guardia di Finanza, three traffic police were arrested for agreeing on business, favors and electoral exchanges. A criminal and four men of the institutions who not only protect each other, but try to develop important economic relationships.

Orazio Buda is an entrepreneur, but also a cousin of the boss Orazio Privitera belonging to the Cappello-Carateddi clan. Mauro Massari, on the other hand, is deputy brigadier of the Guardia di Finanza and vice president of the “Librino” district of the municipality of Catania; the "king of preferences" was called, having been elected on the Forza Italia lists with almost a thousand votes.




The electoral pact
The two would have made an electoral pact thanks to which the Buda would have had Massari elected, while the latter, in addition to various facilitations, would have tried to have a company close to Buda assigned a contract of 6 million euros for works in the Port of Augusta. Clearly Massari in this deal would have made the weight of his uniform count, just as his powers as deputy brigadier would also have been used to damage a small business owner. A typical mafia-institutions exchange.

But Buda also had other relations with men of the state. In fact, in addition to having had contacts with other political exponents, Buda, to favor some of its close relatives, would have asked three members of the Municipal Police of Catania to falsify the certificates to obtain the council house.

The "Sipario" operation interrupted this series of links between "cops and thieves", and led to 2 people in prison, 5 under house arrest, 3 to the obligation to report to the judicial police, 12 forbidden to carry out commercial activities. In the days following the arrests, Buda, which remained in prison, was not recognized as belonging to the Cappello clan, and the companies initially seized were returned to him.

Particularly interesting is the conversation between Buda and Massari when the latter expresses the concern of not being elected; Buda reassures him "Your competitor is there ... Don't worry ... leave him alone ... Here we are".

The Borgo Vecchio mafia in Palermo
Local parties and cheering at the stadium controlled by the bosses

March 25, 2021: 1 arrest, 13 house arrest, 2 signature obligations, 5 suspects on the loose.

Salvatore Buongiorno, employed in the cemeteries sector of the municipality of Palermo, the only one arrested in the "Resilience 2" operation, was the ras of the patronal feasts of the neighborhood of the Porta Nuova mafia district. Submitted to the chiefs Lo Presti and Di Giovanni and in agreement with the regent of the Borgo Vecchio family Angelo Monti, he established the singers and the pay of the neomelodics to be exhibited, collected the money necessary to organize the party, decreed the places where they would put the street vendors.




A neighborhood in check
An apparently “poor” power, limited to the songs in the square, one would say. In reality, however, it was a very strict control of traders and economic activities that could not exempt themselves from paying the dues to sponsor the party. And not only in Borgo Vecchio but also in Corso Finocchiaro Aprile.

The other sector entirely under the aegis of the Borgo Vecchio mafia family is that of organized football support. Giovanni Johnny Giordano is the "elderly" character who managed the curves and bleachers of the Barbera stadium. Lately, however, Giorgio Mangano has taken over, more capable of guaranteeing "peace" between the various supporters, the real objective of the bosses.

But the Borgo Vecchio clan didn't just offer free tickets, special entrances and photographs with the players. Giordano, in fact, the guardian inside the stadium in the Zamparini era, provided timely and first-hand news on the construction of the Conca d'Oro shopping center. Therefore, alongside the pervasive, widespread power of the vast audience of fans in the neighborhoods, there is always the great economic interest that produces enormous wealth of the Cosa Nostra men.




Massimiliano Ingarao
But the central, thick figure that emerges from the two investigations in October 2020 and March 2021 is undoubtedly that of Jari Massimiliano Ingarao. Son of Nicola, killed on June 13, 2007 by the Lo Piccolo family on suspicion of treason, he is also the nephew of Angelo Monti, head of the Borgo Vecchio family, of which he would have taken over in recent months.

The young Ingarao, in addition to taking an interest in ensuring that there were no clashes and fights at the stadium and organizing the party of Sant’Anna al Borgo through Buongiorno, above all, had in hand, together with the other two brothers, the entire drug trade in the neighborhood.

A particularly disconcerting case emerged during the investigation. A man not only made her partner prostitute, but established appointments, rates, meeting arrangements for her. He even prepared underwear to wear. And if she was tired, he insisted that she continue her "work". An endless abjection.

The shooting in the ZEN district in Palermo and the anti-mafia operations
Two families compete for the neighborhood. March 30, 2021: 6 arrested.

On Tuesday, March 23 at the ZEN in Palermo, one of those episodes of the “Gomorrah” series that can be seen on TV for some time happened in reality.

Two family groups, the Colombo and the Maranzano, orphans of their leader Giuseppe Cusimano who was arrested on January 26, fought for domination over the neighborhood with kicks, punches and pistol shots. A young mafia family that of Zen-Pallavicino, which remained without command gives rise to clashes for the succession.

The novelty, however, is that the wall of silence that always surrounds these mafia events has been broken. And it was a woman, Giuseppe Colombo's partner, who first spoke, then dragged her partner to take the decisive step to stop the spiral of violence.


Come and have a coffee with us ...
At 10 in the morning, a joking gesture made by one of the Colombo's exiting the bar generates the violent response of the Maranzano, and everything seems to end there. Instead, the latter gather relatives and friends and prepare the ambush.

A few hours later, a false peacemaker convenes a clarifying meeting to which the Columbus present themselves with the intention of closing the matter. The Maranzanos, on the contrary, arrive in force with five cars and different engines, and without too much talk they start firing, wounding two of the Colombo.

To shed light on the decisive event was the intervention of the woman, who first called the police to warn of the imminent shooting and then told everything that had happened having experienced it directly. His comrade, Giuseppe Colombo, at first reluctant to cooperate, also confirmed what had happened.

The two brothers Pietro and Letterio Maranzano, a cousin of theirs and a brother-in-law, ended up in prison. But also Giovanni Cefali and Nicolò Cefali, father and son, who played a decisive role in the ambush against the Colombo.




The "autonomous state" of Pagliarelli and the arrest of Giuseppe Calvaruso
Monday 5 April: 7 arrests, 8 suspects.

What certifies the Brevis operation is the existence of an autonomous authority within the Italian state, with its own controls, punitive interventions, recognized and respected justice. A parallel system to the official one, more efficient and faster. The Cosa Nostra thus comes to exercise effective and supreme power over an extended part of the state territory.


Giuseppe Calvaruso. Pagliarelli's Mafia district in Palermo was under his total control
Giuseppe Calvaruso, after the arrest of Settimo Mineo, is the absolute dominus of the Pagliarelli mafia district in Palermo.

Francesco Paolo Bagnasco turns to Giovanni Caruso, Calvaruso's right hand man, to get the money back and have revenge for the two robberies suffered in his detergent shop in Altofonte. A few days pass and the three culprits are identified and beaten to death.

A young woman's car is stolen in the Santa Rosalia village. The father turns to a merchant who has contacts with those who control the territory. Also in this case Caruso intervenes and in a few hours solves the case: the Y lance returns to the owners.

Do the tenants of the Lord Green pub not pay the rent? Filippo Bisconti, repentant mafia boss from Belmonte Mezzagno, talks about it with Settimo Mineo and Giuseppe Calvaruso. After two months of negotiations, the owner of the place and the tenants finally come to an agreement.




Calvaruso's "entrepreneurship": a worldwide network
But in addition to exercising the control, security and judicial power of the Cosa Nostra in Pagliarelli, Giuseppe Calvaruso had become a real businessman, with a particular flair for large building speculations.

In Brazil, since vast territories can be bought at very little price, he tries to join the company Mia casa, mia vida to manage the construction of hundreds of houses.

Then, with the money of a Singapore entrepreneur, Lai Chong Meng, and thanks to the mediation of Giovanni Spanò, he would have completed some highly profitable operations on prestigious properties in Misilmeri, in the historic center of Palermo and in Boccadifalco.




Restaurants and tourism
But also in Riccione, Sardinia, Marsala and Vulcano, Calvaruso would have exercised his entrepreneurial skills to increase his initial investments tenfold. In addition to obtaining orders in Palermo for the renovation of several premises of important brands and commercial groups (Hessian, Yamamay, Wycon).

But the most "elegant and refined" economic operation is undoubtedly the one involving the luxurious Carlo V restaurant in Piazza Bologni in Palermo. Formally managed by Giuseppe and Benedetto Amato, in reality it was in the full availability of Calvaruso. Since taking possession of it, it has boosted net income from € 16,415 to € 71,578 in just one year, and it has increased employees from 5 to 21 in two years.

The restaurant was seized, but also the “Edil professional” company, three current accounts, an ATM card, a Porsche, a Range Rover and a 300 horsepower dinghy. Estimated value: two and a half million euros.




In Messina, three bosses ran drugs and online betting
“Provincial” operation. April 9, 2021: 21 in prison, 10 under house arrest, 2 with signature obligation.

In central Messina they commanded three: Giovanni Lo Duca in the Provincial district, Salvatore Sparacio in Fondo Pugliatti, Giovanni De Luca in Maregrosso.

Lo Duca, after 13 years in prison, had returned to exercise his territorial power having his sister's bar as a base of operations. And from there he resolved disputes between criminals, planned extortion, organized beatings and punitive expeditions.

Sparacio, on the other hand, was in the games room "Asd biliardi sud". Strengthened by his relationships with some Maltese managers of well-known brands, he had built a small empire of online gambling and betting. And his skill made business go so well that both Lo Duca and the Catania Santapaola clan turned to him to enter this sector.

De Luca ended his hiding with this arrest. He was mainly involved in the control and security of night clubs and drug trafficking.

A case of electoral corruption also emerged during the investigation. The candidate in the 2018 municipal elections Natalino Summa offered € 10,000 to Sparacio in order to get him the votes to be elected. The 350 "consents" collected, however, were not enough to get him elected to the City Council. The bar and games room were seized.




In Catania, gang war with raids and punitive expeditions
One repentant and 14 arrests

April 20, 2021: 14 people arrested.

Alessio Bertucci, affiliated with the Catania mafia clan of the Cappello, repents and sheds full light on the shooting of 8 August 2020.

The story of him begins when Melo Di Stefano, of the “Milanese Cursoti”, takes a member of the Cappello family in via Diaz with a helmet. The affected clan meets urgently and a few hours later organizes the revenge raid. As many as 14 motorbikes and scooters thus head towards Librino, the stronghold of the Cursoti. After a few empty laps in the neighborhood, the final clash between the two gangs takes place in Viale Grimaldi. Two deaths is the result of the brutal showdown. Bertucci, who took part in the conflict, is wounded, and pretending to be dead manages to avoid the coup de grace of the opposing killers.

This direct testimony from Bertucci triggered Operation Centauri which brought 14 people to prison.




In Leonforte in the province of Enna: drugs and extortion vanquished by anti-mafia operations
April 21, 2021: 30 arrests.

The "Caput silente" operation, which triggered 30 pre-trial detention orders in prison, is the natural continuation of the 2014 investigation called "Homo Novus". Then that investigation revealed the birth of a new Cosa Nostra family in the northern area of ​​the province of Enna, in Leonforte, headed by Giovanni Fiorenza and his children.

With this new round-up, not only was a huge quantity of drugs seized, but a severe blow was given to this traffic that the Fiorenza family managed under a monopoly regime. But above all, the extortion phenomenon has been contained. In the course of the investigations, in fact, several damage was documented to entrepreneurs belonging to an anti-racket association and also to two policemen. And the modalities of these intimidations were the cutting of car tires and the engraving of crosses in the bodywork.

In the course of the investigation, a murder of an insolvent drug dealer was also foiled.




The twentysomethings of the shop. Dismantled a capillary network in the Ionian coast of Messina
April 28, 2021: 13 arrested and 13 under house arrest.

The historical allies of the Cosa Nostra, the Brunetto di Giarre clan, and the representatives of the Cappello di Catania, the Cintorino di Calatabiano, had reached an agreement and divided up the sales of cocaine, hashish and marijuana from local to local. A widespread and efficient organization that made use above all of very young unscrupulous pushers.

It is the repentant Carmelo Porto, top man of the Cintorino clan, who revealed the agreements between the clans and the network of drug sales in trendy night clubs.

The territory affected by the "Alcantara" investigation is that of the Sicilian Ionian Riviera: from the "rich" centers of Taormina and Giardini Naxos, to the less famous towns of Francavilla di Sicilia, Motta Camastra, Graniti, Malvagna, Roccella Valdemone, Mojo Alcantara, Gaggi , Fiumefreddo.

Of course, anyone who couldn't pay for drugs was beaten up and anyone suspected of being a police confidant was beaten up. All according to the usual script of the mafia clans of eastern Sicily.




The "Gomorra" of Messina
In the Giostra district there is a war between clans and the sale of drugs, as in Scampia. May 4, 2021: 28 arrests, 11 under house arrest, 13 with signature obligation.

The clan war began in 2016. Shooting in bars, fires of cars, attacks on people. The Bonanno and Arrigos fought over the popular Giostra district of Messina to control the huge drug traffic that operated day and night, moving hundreds and hundreds of vendors, pushers, consumer-drug dealers.

"It was the Scampia di Messina" said the collaborator of justice Giuseppe Minardi. The neighborhood was monitored centimeter by centimeter by cameras directly connected to the bosses' houses, by the lookouts placed on street corners, by the signals between the various condominiums, by the same customers-consumers who warned the possible arrival of the police. In addition to entire families, the wives of the Arrigo and Bonanno bosses also dealt with the distribution of drugs and retail.

The "Market Place" operation documented over 1,000 episodes of drug sales activities in public housing in Via Seminario Estivo, thus making the Giostra district a real "dealing center".

The disproportion between declared income and assets owned by some of the suspects led to the preventive seizure of apartments, garages, cars, motorcycles and current accounts.




Entrepreneurs and supporters discovered by anti-mafia operations in Sicily
May 4, 2021: 40 arrests.

Giuseppe Condorelli's revolt against protection money made headlines, but the reality that emerged from the "Under check" operation is another. A profoundly dirty trade and economy strongly altered by mafia violence. Traders and entrepreneurs who support and favor the illicit affairs of the clans.


Giuseppe Condorelli rebelled against the “lace rule” by helping the anti-mafia operations
Angelo Nicotra, owner of some jewelers, would not only have allowed Pietro Puglisi, top man of the Assinnata di Paternò clan, to launder money by making him buy diamonds, jewels and watches in black, without any tax certification, but, as a true his own financial advisor, would have suggested that he buy gold bars abroad. And if necessary he would have resold the valuables to provide cash for the boss.

Salvatore Tortomasi, owner of a fruit and vegetable company, would have favored the Amantea family of Paternò by paying his own shares of profits to the clan and allowing them to do business in a hidden way. In return, he obtained "protection" from the clan both from competitors and from problems with creditors.




The clan organization chart
"Under check" made it possible to discover in the provinces of Catania, Syracuse, Cosenza and Bologna, the organization chart of the Paternò and Belpasso clans linked to the powerful Santapaola - Ercolano mafia clan from Catania. In addition to identifying the top position of the boss Santo Alleruzzo, it emerged that the Paternò family is made up of three members: the Alleruzzo, the Assinnata, the Amantea. In Belpasso, on the other hand, there are Barbaro Stimoli and Daniele Licciardello. And it was the latter who asked Condorelli for the money.

During the investigations, a punitive project by Santo Alleruzzo against the lawyer Enzo Trantino, a well-known politician, guilty according to the boss of not doing enough to get him to cancel his life sentence, came to light.

Furthermore, the gangs had invented a singular scam against INPS: by making some false agricultural workers appear as unemployed, they collected the related allowance.




Condorelli: a note of hope
If Condorelli's refusal to pay the protection money has been approved and exalted by all, the pollution of the local economic fabric, favored by the complicity of some entrepreneurs, is therefore predominant and widespread. However, the hope of a future without violence and intimidation that Condorelli's gesture instills is strong.

In Syracusano: among the anti-mafia operations the blow to the Trigila clan
May 11, 2021: 13 arrests.

Among the anti-mafia operations, the continuation of the "Robin Hood" and "Neaton" investigations resulted in the arrest of thirteen people belonging to the Trigila clan operating in the south-eastern area of ​​the province of Syracuse.

The affairs of the clan concerned the road transport sector of fruit and vegetables, the production of platforms and packaging, the production and trade of dairy products.

Using the intimidating force typical of the mafia organization, the Trigila family has assumed a dominant position in the sectors mentioned above and has altered the rules of normal competition.




Still online bets discovered by anti-mafia operations in central-eastern Sicily
Antonio Padovani arrested and 38 agencies seized. May 27, 2021: 1 arrest, 12 under house arrest, 1 residence obligation, 51 under investigation.

The "Apate" operation brought Antonio Padovani, the great manager of clandestine betting in Sicily, to prison. In the province of Catania, Messina, Syracuse, Enna and Agrigento, 38 agencies were closed and subject to seizure.

It was the Santapaola, Cappello, Bonaccorsi-Carateddi clans who controlled the vast online gambling and betting network. And together with the 38 agencies, the related corporate assets, movable and immovable assets, current accounts and financial relationships were seized, for a total of 30 million euros.

Antonio Padovani, in addition to managing gambling, would have favored the affairs of the Catania clans of Santapaola and Cappello.

[scagghiuni]

i don't think so

[Etna]

Funny you mention this. There are groups there that are very large in size and the Santapaola-Ercolano clan never seems to miss a beat, even with all of the arrests they have been experiencing.

[CabriniGreen]

Funny you mention this. There are groups there that are very large in size and the Santapaola-Ercolano clan never seems to miss a beat, even with all of the arrests they have been experiencing.

You see what I'm seeing... agreed

[scagghiuni]

the same is with palermo, despite tons of arrests in the latest two decades

[SonnyBlackstein]

Any chance of the cliff notes on this CG?

[CabriniGreen]

Any chance of the cliff notes on this CG?

Heres one example of Catanias business prowess....




Rivers of money traveled between Sicily, Malta and Poland
A network of 887 online betting agencies throughout Italy. March 3, 2021: 12 arrested, 2 under house arrest, 336 under investigation.

In Lineri, a hamlet of Misterbianco (CT), the brothers Carmelo and Giuseppe Gabriele Placenti, a Mafia clan from Catania Ercolano-Santapaola, had devised a fairly efficient system to illegally collect cash, escape Italian controls and build a small empire of economic activities.

In fact, the 887 sports betting and gaming agencies scattered throughout the national territory only minimally focused on online gambling. Real wealth was accumulated through “over the counter” bets, that is, those made face-to-face and in cash. A mass of money of 32 million euros which was then transferred to Poland and Malta. From here he returned back to Italy, in Emilia Romagna and Puglia, in the form of purchases of land, buildings and productive activities.




The "keyboard mafia"
The entire online gaming network was without Italian authorization, and while servers and software were managed by IT engineers in Serbia, the ownership of the "Raisebet24.com" platform was Maltese precisely to make it more difficult to trace the link with Italy. and the crime network.

Wednesday, March 3, 12 people went to prison, 2 under house arrest and 9 people were banned from doing business. 336 are the suspects. The "Double game" operation, which began in 2015, blocked 80 million euros of assets, 62 of financial resources, 180,000 euros in cash.

“The keyboard mafia” was doing so well that it had to expand into western Sicily as well. The two Placenti brothers, in fact, were providing the necessary know-how to Matteo Messina Denaro's nephew, Francesco Guttadauro.



It's just, everytime theres an investigation, it always seems to be a huge operation getting busted. And the Santopaola clan seems very connected, to Ndrangheta, the Casalesi, the Licciardi. The Capello clan seems super strong as well.


Whereas Palermo seems under constant surveillance and unable to fully reconstitute, Catania seems to just have massive operations going all the time.

[scagghiuni]

you should follow indictments of the latest two decades, palermo is still the stronghold of cosa nostra, the fact that in the latests months catania seems more active means nothing

[CabriniGreen]

you should follow indictments of the latest two decades, palermo is still the stronghold of cosa nostra, the fact that in the latests months catania seems more active means nothing

Latest months? Lol, I'm talking YEARS man. The Santopaolo- Ercolano clan is going on what, 50 years of being ruled by the same clan? And I'm not talking about VOLUME of indictments. Palermo has what? 50, 100 families? More? Of course they have more indictments. The Catania operations are usually quite impressive.


Catania seems to have bigger operations. Maybe it's because it's a single family? Palermo has been under siege since Riina, it's only since they moved beyond the Corleonesi have they seem to be regaining a lot of lost strength, prime example being the rejuvenation of the American relations. Dont go all, my teams better than yours on me now. We know Palermo is the hub, just like NY is the hub over here. I'm always on and on about Italy in general, today it happens to be Catania. I didnt say Palermo is dogshit, I said the Catania families overall seem more organized at the moment.

A perfect example is the sports books. The biggest sports books I've seen arnt run by Palermo people, its Catania guys, Ndrangheta, some Naples guys, and the Martiradonnas.

What's the biggest Palermo based Sportsbook you've seen?

[scagghiuni]

palermo families are involved in sport books too, marijuana plantations, politics connections and all the rackets santapaola-ercolano are involved in according to DIA there are about 2500 affiliates in palermo province and less than 200 in catania; palermo bosses wanted to make the cappello family the principal referent of cosa nostra in palermo, just to look how they control mafia politics in catania itself

[Wiseguy]

Relatively speaking, eastern Sicily is to the Mafia what the western U.S. was. It's like comparing the families in Texas, Colorado or California to New York

[Strax]

Pretty much what Wiseguy said, not just Palermo , but Trapani mafia very powerful , even more than Catania. In Trapani you have a lot of masonic lodges, Iside 2 is one of most powerful local masonic lodges from Sicily and its from Trapani. Mafia in Palermo are more powerful than mafia in Catania, thanks to more members,more money in Palermo in general,powerful politicians,masonic lodges and so on.

[Etna]

Relatively speaking, eastern Sicily is to the Mafia what the western U.S. was. It's like comparing the families in Texas, Colorado or California to New York

Yes and no.

There was never many independent mafia groups in the western United States. In eastern Sicily there are numerous groups that are independent or answer directly to various factions.

I believe much of the mafia in the province of Messina is independent. For instance, the San Mauro Castleverde mandamento of Palermo's province extends into Messina to places like Mistretta. But you have the Barcelonesi who seem to be an independent organization. Then if you go to the city of Messina you have groups under the influence of the Mafia in Catani (whether Santapaola-Ercolano or even Cursoti or other independents).

Then you have the fact that Catania had 1 family of the Catania cosca, but the other groups are still classified as "mafia type organizations." For instance, when I was in Corleone at the Anti-Mafia museum, I asked about the Stidda. The girl there had no idea who they were. She simply said "it is all Mafia."

Anyway, the second family of Catania is Caltagirone, whose founder was from a family I believe in Caltanisetta ( cant recall which). But then you have the groups of Siracusa and Ragusa. Ragusa is simply Stidda of the Carbonardo-Dominante group and the Piscopo group which I believe was an extension of the Rinzivello clan of Gela. Then in Siracusa you have various mafia factions as well, but I believe one may be considered Cosa Nostra (not sure). However, in Catania, I believe the various groups like Capello and others were once cosa nostra, but when the Calderones were taken out by the Corleonesi, they rebelled. But the Capello group, if I am not mistaken, is really a branch of the LoPiccolos in Tomasso-Natale, but almost act as a sub-family.

These types of structures really do not exist in the USA.

I can understand where the strength comes into play for Palermo. Cosa Nostra in Palermo has strict geographic territories, but, the thing that always seems confusing is how the territories do not change often. Resuttana family never tried to take over Acquasanta etc. But, I also read in a book that the mafia families in Palermo typically distribute their funds of salaries to members at the Mandamento level. So in some cases, in an attempt to mimic the size of the NY families, the new "operating body" of Palermo may in fact be the Mandamento.

Sorry for the thoughts.

[CabriniGreen]

Relatively speaking, eastern Sicily is to the Mafia what the western U.S. was. It's like comparing the families in Texas, Colorado or California to New York

Yes and no.

There was never many independent mafia groups in the western United States. In eastern Sicily there are numerous groups that are independent or answer directly to various factions.

I believe much of the mafia in the province of Messina is independent. For instance, the San Mauro Castleverde mandamento of Palermo's province extends into Messina to places like Mistretta. But you have the Barcelonesi who seem to be an independent organization. Then if you go to the city of Messina you have groups under the influence of the Mafia in Catani (whether Santapaola-Ercolano or even Cursoti or other independents).

Then you have the fact that Catania had 1 family of the Catania cosca, but the other groups are still classified as "mafia type organizations." For instance, when I was in Corleone at the Anti-Mafia museum, I asked about the Stidda. The girl there had no idea who they were. She simply said "it is all Mafia."

Anyway, the second family of Catania is Caltagirone, whose founder was from a family I believe in Caltanisetta ( cant recall which). But then you have the groups of Siracusa and Ragusa. Ragusa is simply Stidda of the Carbonardo-Dominante group and the Piscopo group which I believe was an extension of the Rinzivello clan of Gela. Then in Siracusa you have various mafia factions as well, but I believe one may be considered Cosa Nostra (not sure). However, in Catania, I believe the various groups like Capello and others were once cosa nostra, but when the Calderones were taken out by the Corleonesi, they rebelled. But the Capello group, if I am not mistaken, is really a branch of the LoPiccolos in Tomasso-Natale, but almost act as a sub-family.

These types of structures really do not exist in the USA.

I can understand where the strength comes into play for Palermo. Cosa Nostra in Palermo has strict geographic territories, but, the thing that always seems confusing is how the territories do not change often. Resuttana family never tried to take over Acquasanta etc. But, I also read in a book that the mafia families in Palermo typically distribute their funds of salaries to members at the Mandamento level. So in some cases, in an attempt to mimic the size of the NY families, the new "operating body" of Palermo may in fact be the Mandamento.

Sorry for the thoughts.

Great post.... I really was just trying to spark a conversation about the Catania Cosa Nostra, which is pretty interesting to me....

Maybe I worded the Title of the thread incorrectly....

What I was really asking.... is the Catania family, amongst say, the top 15, maybe even top 10 families in Sicily? I know Palermo has more money, but that money also has to be split many different ways, many more than in Catania. Also, I've seen Italian authorities on several occasions say the Naples clans actually make more money in Italy. Not that they are more organized, or have more political contacts. Thst they make more money, I'm sure you guys have seen the same estimates...

[CabriniGreen]

I also agree on the Madamento being the level where decision making takes form.


That article I posted has blood feuds, info on Calvalruso dominating Pagliarelli and actually having REAL business sense beyond even being a mafiosi,
( They talk about him increasing the number of employees at a restaurant from like 7 to 21 or something, I gotta read it again...) info on entirely newly formed families, some of which are ENTIRELY family based, and heavily involved in drug trafficking, the equivalent of Scampia in Messina, huge Catanian operations...

I thought it plenty interesting....