The son of the former historic member of the Magliana gang , Enrico Nicoletti, and the son of Michele Senese, believed to be the head of the Camorra in Rome.
Antonio Nicoletti and Vincenzo Senese are also involved in the major operation by the DIA and the Rome Anti-Mafia Directorate (DDA), which led to 18 precautionary measures and the seizure of €131 million. Film producer Daniele Muscariello was also subject to a precautionary measure.
Roberto Macori and Salvatore D'Amico, along with their son Umberto and Umberto Luongo, all linked to the powerful Mazzarella clan, were also arrested.
The measure was requested by investigators of the Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate in coordination with the Capital's DDA. Overall, 16 people ended up in prison and two others were placed under house arrest. In addition, seizures for over 131 million euros were carried out.
Nicoletti and Senese's children arrested
The charges contested under various titles and depending on the positions are of criminal association with the aggravating circumstance of mafia, aimed at committing crimes of extortion, usury, weapons, fictitious registration of assets, money laundering, self-laundering and reinvestment in economic activities of illicit proceeds, aggravated by the aim of having facilitated the Mazzarella-D'Amico Camorra clans, the Mancuso and Mazzaferro 'ndrangheta gangs and the Senese clan.
The investigation by the DIA and the DDA for which 18 arrests were made today was started in 2018 following a series of money laundering operations, in various activities, from cinematography to construction, from logistics to car and hydrocarbon trade. Using numerous front companies for false invoicing.
Salvatore D'Amico, his son and Umberto Luongo of the Mazzarella clan were also arrested
Investigators' charges concern Antonio Nicoletti, son of Enrico Nicoletti, and Pasquale Lombardi, along with individuals such as Salvatore D'Amico Salvatore and his son Umberto, and Umberto Luongo. In the context of the "shell" companies, registered under front men for money laundering, the figure of film producer Daniele Miscariello emerged as a trustee for the same clans.
New investigations have brought to light the business in the illicit trade of hydrocarbons. In this line of investigation, Vincenzo Senese, son of Michele, is implicated as the leader and promoter, among others. The investigations of the Economic and Financial Police Unit of the Gdf of Rome have then clarified the various episodes of extortion and usury.
In this context, the reserve of violence of the two associations emerged, both for the intimidating force deriving from the close ties with the mafia criminal organizations and for the immediate availability of weapons of war and common firearms. Overall, the preliminary investigations judge ordered the preventive seizure for the purpose of confiscation of three companies active in the film industry and the seizure of over 130 million euros against 57 suspects.
The investigation, coordinated by deputy Ilaria Calò, gathered circumstantial evidence on the existence of two distinct criminal organizations that "laundered huge profits, gradually infiltrating apparently legal business activities operating in multiple fields" such as "cinematography, construction, logistics, car and hydrocarbon trade", explains a note from the Rome Public Prosecutor's Office.
During the investigations, which began in 2018, "a convergence of interests of historical mafias and new mafias emerged, in particular the D'Amico-Mazzarella clan, and the Calabrian Mancuso and Mazzaferro gangs and the Senese family - the note continues - in the sector of the illicit trade of hydrocarbons, gathering serious evidence of the existence of another autonomous criminal association, linked to the first, operating in the capital and branching out in other regions of the country".
“In terms of the seriousness of the evidence – it is stated – in conjunction with the crimes of an economic-financial nature, also detailed by the tax assessment activities delegated to the Pef Unit of the Guardia di Finanza of Rome, the members of the two organizations were also found to be involved in the commission of a series of crimes in some way instrumental to the first (crimes of extortion and usury) both to regulate give and take transactions between them or with third parties and to bind to themselves the entrepreneurs indispensable to fuel the illicit profit.
In this context, the two associations' reserve of violence emerged, both due to the intimidating power deriving from their close ties with mafia criminal organizations and due to the immediate availability of weapons of war and common firearms".
Former Napoli footballer Giorgio Bresciani also investigated
Also under investigation in the investigation, on charges of money laundering, is the former Serie A player for Bologna and Napoli, Giorgio Bresciani, who lives in Pomezia. Bresciani's name emerged from the statements of a collaborator of justice who told the investigators of the DDA of Rome.
“Through Daniele” Muscariello – “we met Pasquale, Roberto, Senese’s son, Alberto Viola, Coppola Alberto, Stefano De Angelis, Bresciani, Giovanni Festa (who came with Umberto D’Amico known as ‘o puorco), Massimo with the beard (arrested for tax evasion of 3 million euros and others). Daniele has his offices in Rome.
Salvatore Pezzella worked with VAT in Rome with Andrea Salsiccia and De Angelis and we stopped him in Naples saying that he had to "favor" us too. So we entrusted him with 100.000 euros and he started to give us back 5000 euros a week. Or rather he brought in 105.000 euros, but 100.000 were reinvested.
We threatened him that we would close down his brother Giovanni's bar and his mother and sisters came to me saying that they would report me and that they had videos of me. I actually went to the bar to close it down. Then we made an agreement with Salvatore because he was afraid.
We thus opened another channel with Salvatore Pezzella to invest the money from drug trafficking. Salvatore Pezzella and Muscariello, who initially worked together, then argued and we were the ones who made them reconcile”.
Chronicles of Campania
Naples: Gennaro Mazzarella and Totoriello Barile convicted of extortion at the port.
A new and severe judicial blow has arrived for the leaders of the Mazzarella clan. The trial concluded with three severe convictions...
