The Ndrangheta Kidnappings Years in Calabria

[furiofromnaples]

The period of kidnappings in Calabria, in the history of 'Ndrangheta, goes from the 1960s to the early 1990s, and particularly active between the seventies and eighties of the twentieth century, in which the ndrine, especially in the Ionian area of the Province of Reggio Calabria, in order to accumulate capital, they decided to kidnap people, including young people and children throughout Italy in exchange for a ransom.

The ransoms money are reinvested either in the construction sector as in Bovalino where an entire neighborhood is informally called "Paul Getty" or in the purchase of cocaine in South America. This period showed how the 'Ndrangheta was able to operate also in Northern Italy by identifying the subjects able to pay a ransom, which was not a small organization but with support and able to put the money back into the legal economy; as well as to interface with the secret services when they intervened for the conclusion of some kidnappings. Finally, within the organization itself, the stay of hostages in Aspromonte gave prestige to the 'ndrina author of the kidnapping and who showed and demonstrated who was in charge in that area

Of the 694 kidnappings at the hands of crime in Italy, of which an estimated turnover of 800 billion lire, more than half end up in the hands of the 'Ndrangheta.

The victims were usually hidden in Aspromonte.

The case of Cesare Casella and his mother courage

On January 18, 1988 Cesare Casella was kidnapped in Pavia with a request for 5 billion lire. After more than a year in June 1989, her mother Angela Casella decides to go down to Calabria to recover her son, a protest with banners begins in the central square of Locri. She then moves to San Luca to try to get help from the local people from whom she receives solidarity. He heads with chains around his neck towards Ciminà, confers with the Parliamentary Anti-Mafia Commission again in Locri and prays in front of the "crucifix of the kidnapped" in the Zervò district (between Platì and Santa Cristina d'Aspromonte) and a visit to the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Wrists.
Finally in December 1989 in a fire fight between the carabinieri and Giuseppe Strangio, he is captured and Cesare Casella is released by appealing to the kidnappers at the end of December.

Bovalino, in 1993 was renamed the capital of kidnappings, 13 in 14 years. This is the last decade of kidnappings by the 'Ndrangheta. The latest kidnapping will be that of Alessandra Sgarella in 1997.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of the people kidnapped by the 'Ndrangheta in chronological order.
The value of ramsons in lire updated in euros.


Giuseppe Sofo (Oppido Mamertina, 8 October 1950) for 14 days and released for 5 million lire (93.715,75€)
Ercole Versace, (Delianuova, 2 July 1963)
John Paul Getty III (Rome, 9 July 1973) ramson: 3 milions dollars ($20,018,648.65 today)
Tobia Matarazzi (Grotteria, June 27, 1975)
Francesco Napoli (Palmi, 1975)
Giuseppe D'Amico (Rome, June 29, 1975)
Raffaele Maiorano (Crotone, July 18, 1975)
Domenico Arecchi (Villa San Giovanni, August 19, 1975)
Cristina Mazzotti aged 18 (Como, 1975) died during her imprisonment
Mariangela Passatore Paoletti From Cinisello Balsamo died during her imprisonment
Giuseppe Gullì Died during his captivity
Silvio De Francesco Died during his captivity after 4 days of kidnapping
Antonio Colistra, Aged 56, died during his imprisonment
Eduardo Annichiriaco Died during his captivity
Agostino Gerace
Alfredo Antico (Siderno 1982)
Vincenzo Cannatà (Taurianova, December 15, 1975) freed on January 3, 1976 in Canolo for 200 million lire (909.563,23 €)
Vincenzo Medici (Bianco 21 December 1989) Died during his imprisonment
Domenico Nicolò (November 1975), freed on December 19, 1975 in Brancaleone
Giovanni Rejtani (February 20, 1976) freed on March 12, 1976 for 100 million lire (454.781,62 €)
Giuseppe Chirico (Sant'Eufemia d'Aspromonte, February 26, 1976)
Francesco Licasto (June 25, 1976)
Francesco Cribari
Bianco Filippo Velonà (Taurianova, 22 August 1976)
Giuseppe Di Prisco (Saline Joniche, 21 September 1976) issued on 3 January 1977 for 18 million lire (69.314,51 €)
Saverio Luppino (Cosoleto, 28 October 1976) freed on 21 November
Domenico Zerbi Released on 15 December 1976
Francesco Falletti (Guardavalle Marina, July 28, 1977)
Domenico Clemente (5 August 1977)
Armando Ilario Lanzetta (Caulonia, 24 August 1977)
Mariangela Passiatore (Brancaleone, August 28, 1977)
Giuseppe Luppino (August 30, 1977)
Pietro Fiocchi (November 8, 1977) released in 1978
Rocco lo Farro (1978)
Paolo Giorgetti (Meda, 9 November 1978).
Enrico Zappino (Mileto, 1979)
Bernardo Toraldo (Tropea, 23 September 1978) free on 5 January 1979 after 105 days and following the payment of 320 million lire (1.095.863,70 €). The 5 kidnappers were later captured.
Alfredo Battaglia (Bovalino) 12 year old boy
Marco Forgione, (Cosenza) 10 year old boy
Domenico Frascà (Locri)
Domenico D'Agostino (Turin, 1979), Mayor of Canolo.
Barbara Piattelli (Rome, 10 January 1980), 27 years old, kidnapped for 343 days
Giovanni Furci (kidnapped in Locri, the kidnapping lasted 7 months, from 15 January 1980 to 15 August 1980)
Fossato Giuseppe Gullì (1980) is killed
Andrea Battaglia Released in 1980 with 300 million lire (732.728,39 €)
Domenico Frascà Released in 1980 with 400 million lire (976.971,19 €)
Giovanni Pulitanò Arcadi (May 16, 1980) released in 1981 after 298 days for 1 billion and 280 million lire (2.633.814,50 €)
Silvio De Francesco (Bovalino, 9 October 1980) died on 13 October 1980
Antonio Colistra (October 17, 1980)
Giuliano Ravizza Freed on December 25, 1981 for more than 4 billion lire (8.230.670,31 €)
Giuseppina Gelsomino (in Locri on March 6, 1982) aged 17
Maurizio Gellini
Steno Marcegaglia (15 October 1982 - 5 November 1982) kidnapped between Naples and the Aspromonte once he managed to free himself, captured again he was released by the police
Antonio Caruso (Sant'Eufemia d'Aspromonte, 12 May 1982) 4 hours
Giovanni Labate Released after 325 days with 1 billion and 200 million (2.122.327,98€)
Luana Lizzi (January 1, 1983) released January 16, 1983
De Sandro (Bovalino, January 20, 1983) released after 199 days with 600 million lire (922.836,17 €)
Concetta Infantino (Brancaleone, January 23, 1983) released after 24 days on February 21, 1983 with 200 million lire (307.612,06 €)
Pappalardo (8 March 1983) released after 236 days and 180 million lire (276.850,85 €)
Fausta Rigoli Lupini with her 10-year-old son Rocco (Molochio, May 18, 1983): she released on November 22, he released on January 1, 1984 in Oppido Mamertina
Punturieri (Gambarie, August 26, 1983) free after 40 days and 500 million lire (769.030,15 €)
Liliana Marando (August 23, 1983)
Alfredo Sorbara (1983)
Enza Rita Stramandinoli (1983) released after 331 days
Trento Foti (1983)
Giuseppe De Sandro (Bovalino, 20 January 1983 - 8 August 1983) released for 600 million lire (922.836,17 €)
Vincenzo Diano aged 11 (Lazzaro di Motta San Giovanni, July 1984) released after 72 days in Villa San Giovanni
Bruno Mafrici (Condofuri, 2 September 1986 - December 1986)
Angela Mittica (Oppido Mamertina, 2 December 1986 - 11 April 1987) freed by the carabinieri after 130 days
Marco Fiora (Turin, 2 March 1987 - 3 August 1988) freed after 515 days at Ciminà
Cesare Casella (Pavia, January 18, 1988 - January 30, 1990) released after 743 days in Natile di Careri on January 30, 1990 with 1 billion lire (971.920,24 €).
Carlo Celadon (Arzignano, January 25, 1988), nineteen years old kidnapped for 831 days in Aspromonte, released on May 2, 1990 for two billion lire (2.198.763,60 €)
Maria Grazia Belcastro (11 November 1988) released after 46 days
Andrea Cortellezzi (Tradate, February 17, 1989)
Giuseppe Bertolami (Lamezia Terme, December 1989) died during his imprisonment
Domenico Paola (Locri, 30 April 1990 - 27 January 1991) released after 275 days
Egidio Sestito (Catanzaro, October 1991 - November 1991)
Vincenzo Guarnieri
Mario Arrighi
Alessandra Sgarella (Milan, 11 December 1997 - 4 September 1998) freed after about 7 months. On the night of August 26, 2011, Sgarella died following a long illness, a few hours after the arrest of one of her kidnappers.

[motorfab]

Not In Calabria but still by 'ndrangheta, you can add Guy Pitoun, a French entrepreneur kidnapped in Vallauris in 1980. He was found totally by chance in a house and was kidnapped by Arcangelo D'Agostino & the Magnoli clan. This was the first and last kidnapping done by the 'ndrangheta in France. One of the kidnappers was arrested when he was about to picked up the ransom and the rest of the gang was arrested. Police suspected there was also French mobsters involved