Italy arrests Calabrian mobsters as Rome mob probe widens

[inanna]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Italian police arrested two suspected mobsters on Thursday as part of a widening investigation into a mafia-like group in Rome that allegedly bribed senior city officials to obtain lucrative contracts.

The arrests for suspected mafia conspiracy are based on a probe showing links between businesses run by the Rome criminal gang and suspected members of a Calabrian mafia clan, a statement from the paramilitary Carabinieri police said.

The so-called "Capital Mafia" investigation has prompted Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to close ranks around Rome's current mayor, a member of his ruling party, and to pledge to toughen corruption laws.

Last week Rome prosecutors arrested 37 people and put dozens of others under investigation, including a former mayor, for their involvement in a system of corruption allegedly run by a one-eyed former right-wing extremist with historic ties to the capital's underworld.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/12/11/uk-italy-corruption-idUKKBN0JP14X20141211

[BlueJazz]

1. "right-wing extremist with historic ties to the capital's underworld."

That's weird. We usually elect those kind of people to be a Governor or a Senator.

[jtuck004]

2. Is "mobster" the Italian word for "bankster"? Seems similar, except mobsters have some morals. n/t

[inanna]

3. Update from IBT

From the International Business Times:

Mafia probe: Calabrian 'Ndrangheta mobsters arrested in Rome

Italian authorities have arrested two alleged members of the ruthless Calabrian mafia, the 'Ndrangheta, under charges of forging criminal links with the 29 June co-operative and the mob headed by legendary one-eyed neo-fascist Massimo Carminati who is nicknamed The Last King of Rome.

The suspects were allegedly acting as middlemen between the Mancuso 'Ndrangheta gang and the Rome mafia in order to conduct criminal affairs and win public contracts, including the daily cleaning of historic Esquilino open-air market in the Italian capital.

The Rome crime group, investigated in the "Capital Mafia" probe, handed a contract for the market cleaning to the suspected Calabrian mobsters. The Calabrians agreed in exchange to allow a business tied to the Roman gang to manage immigration centres in their territory, according to a statement from the paramilitary Carabinieri police.

<snip>

At the top of the vast, Mafia-style criminal organisation was Carminati. A former member of the Italian neo-fascist militant organisation NAR, Carminati is claimed to have deeply infiltrated Rome's political, administrative and entrepreneurial worlds.

Link: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mafia-probe-calabrian-ndrangheta-mobsters-arrested-rome-1479115

[inanna]

4. Video from IBT (video at link)

Eight people arrested over suspected Italy-US mafia connections

Eight people have been arrested over mafia connections in Italy and the United States, Italy's state police said on Thursday (December 11).

The arrests were carried out in the cities of Milan, Matera, Trapani and New York, the police said in a statement.

The eight are suspected of international criminal association, attempted extortion and mafia connections, the police said.

Video released by the police showed officers arresting a man identified as Giovanni Grillo at Milan's Malpensa airport.

Link: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tv/eight-people-arrested-over-suspected-italy-us-mafia-connections-13029