All Blog Posts Tagged 'Catania' (14)

By Thom L. Jones

Sometimes, history makes us remember and then, at times, helps us to forget.

It’s easy to recall the first iPhone that was launched in 2007 and would come to change everything we have ever known about personal communication. Mention a judge who was blown up by the Mafia in 1983, and eyes glaze and heads shake and no one…

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By Thom L. Jones

If you Google ‘Mafia’ you will get 163,000,000 hits.

If you Google ‘Cosa Nostra’ you will get 5,280,000 hits.

In 1950 the Mafia did not exist, publicly that is. Sicily knew about it, but even then, to the…

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By Gangsters Inc. Editors

A relative of fugitive Cosa Nostra boss of bosses Matteo Messina Denaro was arrested yesterday along with five…

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By David Amoruso

How much money does the Italian Mafia make? How many billions of dollars go up the chain through the organizations of Sicily’s Cosa Nostra, Campania’s Camorra, and Calabria’s ‘Ndrangheta? Criminology professor Francesco Calderoni did the math and came up with some very interesting numbers, numbers that many deem the most…

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By David Amoruso

Italian police arrested 51-year-old Carmelo Piacente and his girlfriend, 31-year-old Simona Puccio - both pictured above - and charged them with weapons smuggling. Piacente is the reputed leader of the Ceusi clan, part of the…

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By Thom L. Jones

Italians know Corleone as a small, inland town of about 12000 inhabitants, situated in the highlands of Western Sicily, approximately mid-way between Palermo and Agrigento.

We mostly know Corleone as the name of a fictitious Mafia boss-Don Corleone- the central character in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather. Although…

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By Thom L. Jones

Omertà: Good is he who sees and is silent.

                                             Old Mafia saying.

Sicily is an intricate web of favors done in exchange for other favors owing among people of all class, from the humblest to the highest. The trick is to never over-estimate…

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Pierre de Champlain is one of Canada’s foremost experts on organized crime. As an intelligence analyst for the RCMP he got an up close and personal look at gangsters and crimes. As an author he shared his knowledge with readers around the world. On February 26, his new book about the history of organized crime in Montreal will hit stores.

By Pierre…

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By Thom L. Jones



It was bloodletting out of all proportion, even for the men who ran the Mafia in Sicily.



Eight men killed for eighteen horses.



The worst day of mass killing in its history since May 1947, when 11 people were shot dead and 33 wounded by Salvatore Giuliano’s bandit gang at Portella della Ginestra, near San Giuseppe Jato; an…

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By David Amoruso

Posted on December 24, 2010



Merry Christmas everybody! And may Santa bring you all the gifts you wished for.



It seems Santa is already hard at work. Yesterday, an Italian police officer dressed up as Santa arrested a member of the…

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Puparo Presents: Catania Province



Catania: Downfall



Arrests of Catania bosses



Santapaola killer Umberto Di Fazio

23 July 1992 were Francesco Celano and Lorenzo Marsengo (Marengo or Marsegno ?) near Palagonia killed by the Santapaola clan because they… Continue

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Catania mayors



Catania mayor Angelo Francesco Lo Presti

Catania mayor Francesco Lo Presti (later arrested) only served from 10 march 1992 till 27 june 1992. Angelo Francesco Lo Presti was Catania’s short-lived mayor between March and June 1992. Among his… Continue

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Santapaola clashes with Ferlito Family and Reito-Pillera Clan



Santapaola’s underboss Franco Romeo murders Camilleri

In 1980 or 1981 was the criminal Camilleri killed by Franco Romeo at the orders of Benedetto Santapaola. Camilleri's partner Nino Bua then joined ranks with Santapaola.



Alfio Ferlito and Pillera soon went to war with… Continue

Puparo has compiled the following text through thorough research. However, if you see an error, or would like to add something, Puparo welcomes the contribution.



Catania

Catania has the quarters San Cristoforo (area of Catania’s Fish Market), Puntina and San Cosimo. Catania has an international airport Fontanarossa (just outside the city and there drive busses between) and a… Continue