Corsican & French mob

[UTC]

The cheese is good. The wine is a little rough.

[aleksandrored]

Thanks man, I liked the story, the French mafia is very interesting, I think it is as interesting as the history of LCN.

[Villain]

The so-called vendetta, besides Corsica, Sicily and southern Italy, it is also still very much present in Albania and Montenegro

I think the vendetta concept, rather than being a strictly "Latin" thing, was a product of a more general Mediterranean "honor culture" phenomenon and was thus present in some form all across the region.

I agree and nicely said

[Villain]

what about sardinia?

I'm not Italian, so I won't risk giving you false info but I just did a quick search and came across a wikipedia:

"Anonima Sequestri or Anonima Sarda is the name given in Sardinia to any criminal organization whose members are not known (they are, therefore, anonymous) and whose activity of the organization consists in the kidnapping of persons (in Italian "sequestro") against ransom. In general, they are not Mafia-type organizations, but their members respect the Barbagia code. Active since time immemorial, they were particularly so from the 1960s until the the 1990s. In spite of the continuous kidnappings which still take place today, the omertà (law of silence) of the Sardinian people and the fear very often silence these sad facts, however very real.

These types of organizations were particularly active in Sardinia in the 1970s. They were nicknamed "Anonima Sarda". These organizations were experts in everything related to kidnappings, forcible confinement and demand for ransoms. Orgosolo is the place of origin, in Sardinia, of most of the members of these organizations. This small town, located on the top of a hill, is known for its facades of buildings painted with Murals representing faces, landscapes, characterizing the history of the island. "

I don't think I can tell you more. Funny thing, I often watch Italian crime movies from the 70s, and there is a pretty recurrent joke when a cop is too curious or if he risks to miss his case his bosses threaten to send him to Sardinia lol.

Im not sure about today but in the past Sardinia used to have the toughest prisons located on some small islands.

the prison of pianosa was closed in the early '90 and was the toughest, a sort of alcatraz, there are still a couple of high-security prisons in sardinia with several mafia members under 41-bis regime

Thanks, ive heard about that prison only from stories since i never did a research on my own. I think that during the 1980s there was one Yugoslav/Serbian gangster George Bozovic who managed to escape from that same prison allegedly on his own and returned to Yugoslavia.

[motorfab]

the prison of pianosa was closed in the early '90 and was the toughest, a sort of alcatraz, there are still a couple of high-security prisons in sardinia with several mafia members under 41-bis regime

Thanks for the info, I didn't know that.

Thanks man, I liked the story, the French mafia is very interesting, I think it is as interesting as the history of LCN.

You will say that I am not objective, but yes I think the same. And since these guys have connections with LCN ... Thanks anyway for the feedback, the next chapter will arrive on this thread as soon as I have time.

[motorfab]

The so-called vendetta, besides Corsica, Sicily and southern Italy, it is also still very much present in Albania and Montenegro

I think the vendetta concept, rather than being a strictly "Latin" thing, was a product of a more general Mediterranean "honor culture" phenomenon and was thus present in some form all across the region.

I included the Mediterranean side when I said "Latin", but yes you are obviously right

[scagghiuni]

is the corsican mob (brise de mer or others) linked with politicians?

[motorfab]

is the corsican mob (brise de mer or others) linked with politicians?

For the Brise De Mer and contemporary mobsters I do not know in details, my skills are more for the 30s to 80s, but I have already seen several documentaries (made by serious journalists) where it is clearly shown that yes. I have a book on La Brise de Mer to read, I will answer you in detail when I have read it.

For the 1930s to 1980s, the answer is yes, and even twice yes. in the 1930s Paul Carbone (and his Italian co-boss François Spirito) served as an electoral agent for Simon Sabiani (a former general councilor of Marseille) by providing security during political meetings, by breaking strikes, and of course with corruption, controlled the port of Marseille and some politicians. In 1934 Carbone & Spirito were in trouble with the law and Sabiani had posters put up in town saying how "Carbone and Spirito were good guys and his friends". They were on the verge of being part of the municipal council ... When Sabiani joined an extreme right-wing party, Carbone & Spirito joined the Gestapo to be able to continue their activities ...

Same thing for the Guerini brothers at the same period but them for the Socialist party. They were in the same Resistance network as Gaston Deferre, mayor of Marseille in 1944 and 1953-1986, then Minister of the Interior from 1981 to 1984 (Minister of the Interior = Minister of the police). During his tenure as mayor of Marseille, the Guerinis did roughly the same thing as their predecessors Carbone & Spirito (a little more discreetly anyway).

The guys from the Gaullist parties had obviously also created networks with the Politicians. A guy like Marcel Francisci was a recognized organized crime boss with his hands in heroin and gambling and yet he was the mayor of a Village in Corsica (his nephew of the same name was also in politics until recently) ... The same goes for a less famous guy like Jean Colonna.
The Gaulists even had something called Service Action Civique (civic action service). It was supposed to be an association which had to put up posters in the street or to do the security service during the meetings, and which turned into a parallel police force and which committed numerous crimes (from blackmail, to murder, to drug trafficking, including the kidnapping of political opponents). They recruited thugs in exchange for immunity (it was enough to take out your membership card, and the police would let them go). Many mobsters have passed there. They were dissolved in 1981

There is a former pimp, Etienne Leandri (also passed through the Gestapo and the SAC) who also shuffled a lot between politics (he was close to Charles Pasqua, a former Minister of the Interior ... Corsican) and the Corsican mafia (close to Carbone), but I never managed to find out how credible these stories were.

This is for the most striking examples ...

[motorfab]

In fact to complete my answer the Politicians and the Corsican mobsters had forged such ties during the war that at the end of the war they gave them the monopoly of the Cerlce De Jeux (a sort of private Casinos) which allowed them to launder their illegally earned money

[scagghiuni]

there is a book of the informant claude chossat of the brise de mer, maybe he said something about it

[motorfab]

there is a book of the informant claude chossat of the brise de mer, maybe he said something about it

Yeah I saw an interview with him on tv a few years ago. This is another book that I planned to read, I didn't even know he wrote one, thanks for the tip. If what I read on La Brise interests me, I may take Chossat's book

Which reminds me of another story between Corsican mobsters and politics: in 1967 the future president George Pompidou was traveling to Grenoble for the legislative elections (elections for deputies). His driver during his stay was Mathieu Mattei, boss of organized crime in Grenoble and important members of the S.A.C. in the region ...

[motorfab]

Chapter 2: A slap in Toulon, a war in Montmartre

Part 1: Toulon (1934-1938)

If Marseille and Montmartre are high places of the Corsican underworld, the other big city of organized crime is Toulon and the district of the Chapeau Rouge (also nicknamed "the little Chicago"). In the 1930s it is the Graziani Clan who reigns there with two brothers, Jean and Philippe, at its head. Jean Graziani is the president of the union of brothel keepers (prostitution was prohibited, but brothels were legal until 1946) and also owner of two brothels, and Philippe who was the owner of a brothel called "Le Montmartre" rue of the Ramparts.


Philippe & Jean Graziani

Like most of their counterparts they will have a turbulent reign. First in 1933 where they will face a Marseillais clan, but especially in 1934 when they will face an Arab and Marseillais clan led by Abdel Guerrachi. This year a prostitute is beaten by Abdel. While fleeing he opened fire on the Toulonnais and the two bands clash: Guerrachi, arrested denounces Graziani but rectracts himself and is sentenced to 1 year in prison.
Guerrachi is released in 1935 and shot few days later in August. Once again denounced, this time by a hotel owner, the Grazianis are arrested and then released. The informant's hotel was set on fire in the process and then shot down a few days later in April 1936. And the shootings continued until 1936 with, an “American” execution style: a car is blasted away by a guy hidden in a public urinal (the end justifies the means ...) with on board the driver Dominique Rocca killed by a bullet in the head and his passenger Antoine Mattéi seriously injured.


Abdel Guerrachi, Dominique Rocca, Antoine Mattéi

It was around this time that Ange Salicetti landed in Toulon. Born in Guyana, Salicetti is a Corsican thug nicknamed “The Seminarist” because, like Salvatore Maranzano, he entered the Seminary to become a priest. Except that being of a violent temper, he has been fired for having beaten a priest ...
Salicetti on arriving in Toulon starts into the business of prostitution and seduces a girl, Taki, whom he then places in one of his establishments. Philippe Graziani being also interested in the girl "takes" her and places her in one of these brothels.
A sit-down is organized for the bosses to explain themselves, Graziani being determined to teach this young rebel a lesson. The "discussion" is quick and is interrupted when Graziani slaps Salicetti who obviously leaves furious. The next day while they are in a bar, Taki warns Graziani that Salicetti is outside and that he wants to talk to him. Graziani is gunned down by Salicetti and Jacques Quilici (his nephew) in a car belonging to Marcel Raffaelli (an ex-cop who has gone wrong) and flee.
Raffaeli is shot dead a month later by Ange Fontana (a man from Graziani), and Salicetti & Quilici are sentenced in 1938 to 8 years in prison and 20 years of ban. They were denounced by Taki who is definitely in a rather changeable mood… Jean Graziani mysteriously disappeared the day after the trial: he had the very bad idea of bring civil proceedings during the trial…


Ange Salicetti during the circa 1937 & Marcel Raffaeli

Part 2: Montmartre (1944-1950)

In prison Salicetti ruminates on his revenge and she will be relentless. He escaped in 1944 with a group of 32 Communists Resistants (he will also be active in the Resistance during this year and will be decorated for his patriotism). He first made a detour to Marseille where he found Ange Fontana. Fontana is found tied to a tree, he has been tortured and shot. Settled permanently in Paris thereafter, he then finds Taki whom he would have violently tortured with an ice pick and with a blowtorch in a cellar before abandoning her in the street (Sam DeStefano style ...)

But it was from 1946 that things were definitely going to get out of control. On December 6, the Graziani's nephew, Sylvestre Nicolaï-Graziani went to Paris to become the owner of a bar. He is shot twice in the neck and in the back. Two days later, it is his cousin who had come to identify Nicolaï's body which fell. On the 15th, Adrien Caïetti, the brother of one of Salicetti's former mistresses, is shot dead.
Some Bosses like Lucchinaci (which I talked about in Chapter 1) are starting to get tired of it and let Salicetti knows it, who doesn't care and lashes out at them. In July 1946 four men of Jo Renucci (an important boss of Marseille) are targeted: Jacques Morazzini is killed and the 3 others, including Dominique Venturi, one of the future greats of the French Connection, are injured and managed to escape. Several mor guyse fall in the meantime, and the next important guy to be killed is Paul Milani in 1947.


Sylvestre Nicolaï-Graziani, Joseph Renucci, Dominique Venturi, Paul Milani

Salicetti narrowly escapes an attack while he is in Corsica with his girlfriend and his uncle. His uncle is sadly much less lucky, and Salicetti suspects Lucchinaci (who is linked to Renucci, Antoine Paolini & Dominique Venturi) to be behind the hit. Luccinachi is therefore shot 20 bullets on May 14, 1948. Other wounded (Xavier Bianchini, Constantin Tramini) and others killed still accumulate in 1949 ... Joe Renucci escaped a shooting, And Salicetti also narrowly escaped a second attempted murder in Paris.


François Lucchinaci, Constantin Tramini

On August 28, when he left the funeral of Mathieu Costa (another victim of the Vendetta), his car was strafed and his men Jacques Quillici, Adolphe Nalin & Robert Régent are shot dead. Venturi & Paolini are identified by witnesses but the charges will then be dropped.


The alleged shooter: Antoine Paolini. The victims : Jacques Quillici, Adolphe Nalin & Robert Régent

The third attempt will be the good one: on December 3, 1950, when he left his bar "L'Equipage" in the company of his girlfriend Germaine, Salicetti is finally shot down by a burst of submachine gun while they were in their car. Salicetti had a shotgun between his legs, but he didn't have time to use it. According to the Police, it is a miracle that Germaine (his girlfriend) escaped death.


Salicetti's bar "L'Equipage", and his car with bullet holes

The Corsican underworld is exhausted by a war that lasted nearly 15 years and left at least twenty dead ...

Bonus :

Salicetti's hunting license with the last known photo of him

[Villain]

Another great job Motorfab!!! I simply love reading about these fellas since some of them were quite influential on international level. Maybe you should create one huge project since there isnt any "new" stuff on the old Corsican mob lately....

[motorfab]

Another great job Motorfab!!! I simply love reading about these fellas since some of them were quite influential on international level. Maybe you should create one huge project since there isnt any "new" stuff on the old Corsican mob lately....

Really nice Villain, I really appreciate your feedback and your enthusiasm for what I'm doing (but that you know, I often tell you ). In fact the "Corsican mafia" still exists, but its mostly active on their island. The problem (which is not for them) is that they are very low profile and that there are no shootings. There is from time to time obviously, but for 2 or 3 years things are rather calm. So I don't think it's a good idea to do a thread like "news from Italy" or "Montreal post Rizzuto war". Especially even though my thread has been seen (thanks to you guys) I don't think everyone is passionate about it (which I understand perfectly). I think a thread on old stuff is more than enough for now. Once I have finished the Vendettas (and it won't be for now, I still have 3 chapters in mind), I have another text idea but we'll see later.

In any case, I thank you again for the feedback my friend

[Villain]

Another great job Motorfab!!! I simply love reading about these fellas since some of them were quite influential on international level. Maybe you should create one huge project since there isnt any "new" stuff on the old Corsican mob lately....

Really nice Villain, I really appreciate your feedback and your enthusiasm for what I'm doing (but that you know, I often tell you ). In fact the "Corsican mafia" still exists, but its mostly active on their island. The problem (which is not for them) is that they are very low profile and that there are no shootings. There is from time to time obviously, but for 2 or 3 years things are rather calm. So I don't think it's a good idea to do a thread like "news from Italy" or "Montreal post Rizzuto war". Especially even though my thread has been seen (thanks to you guys) I don't think everyone is passionate about it (which I understand perfectly). I think a thread on old stuff is more than enough for now. Once I have finished the Vendettas (and it won't be for now, I still have 3 chapters in mind), I have another text idea but we'll see later.

In any case, I thank you again for the feedback my friend

Cant wait to see what you got next. Keep up the good work