Elderly Scams Trial Set for Uccello Family's Materdei Gang

Naples.

The trial has been set before the seventh panel of the Rome Tribunal to begin on November 5th.

La banda che partiva Materdei nel cuore del rione sanità a Napoli, dove esisteva la centrale telefonica delle truffe agli anziani, era gestita dalla famiglia di John Bird together with sons Alfonso and Eduardo. It was in an apartment in Jesuit Avenue.

While Giuseppe Romanelli “the uncle” served as a link between the organization's leaders and the “travelers”.

A ruthless gang of swindlers, dedicated to robbing the elderly, even their wedding rings with daily profits from 50.000 to 70.000 euros.

Modus Operandi

The gang, based in Naples, operated in a widespread and organised manner. Fraudsters, pretending to be postal workers, insurance agents, lawyers or carabinieri, contacted their victims, mostly elderly people, by telephone. With invented stories about family members in danger or road accidents, they induced the victims to hand over cash, jewelry or other valuables.

A real “vademecum” for scams

The searches brought to light a real instruction manual, written in block letters on some sheets of paper. The manual It contained a detailed description of how the scammers were supposed to approach their victims, what stories to make up, and how to convince them to hand over their assets.

Over 80 scams in a few months

The investigation revealed that the gang was active between September 2022 and March 2023 and completed approximately 80 scamsTheir actions yielded between 50 and 70 euros a day, with a haul of over a kilogram of gold in just one week.

Last May, 7 people were arrested while 10 were placed under house arrest. The searches led to the seizure of approximately 40.000 euros in cashbeyond 150 phone cards, 30 cell phones, a large quantity of gold jewelry and objects, and the scam instruction manual.

(the group of defense attorneys includes lawyers Andrea Palmiero, Lumeno Dell'Orfano, Nicola Napolitano, Giovanni Abet, Massimo Autieri, Antonio Pollio, Tiziana De Masi and Gennaro Pecoraro)

THE NAMES OF THE 17 INVESTIGATED

• GIOVANNI UCCELLO (PRISON)  IN JUDGMENT
  ALFONSO UCCELLO (PRISON). IN JUDGMENT
  EDUARDO UCCELLO (PRISON) IN JUDGMENT
  RAFFAELE BACIO TERRACINO (PRISON) IN JUDGMENT
  GIUSEPPE ROMANELLI (PRISON) IN JUDGMENT
  MARCO CANFORA (PRISON)
  ANTONIO DI MATTEO (HOUSE ARREST) IN JUDGMENT
  CIRO RENDOLA (HOUSE ARREST) IN JUDGMENT
  GIOVANNI RENDOLA (HOUSE ARREST) IN JUDGMENT
  FRANCESCO SIVIERO (HOUSE ARREST) IN JUDGMENT
  ANTONIO SIVIERO (HOUSE ARREST) IN JUDGMENT
  ANTONIO FERIOLI (HOUSE ARREST) IN JUDGMENT
  EASTER ANGEL MOUNTAIN (PRISON) IN JUDGMENT
  LUCIO DE LUCIA (HOUSE ARREST)
  ANTONIO FEDELE (HOUSE ARREST)
  RAFFAELE RUSSO (HOUSE ARREST)
  GIUSEPPE FEDELE (HOUSE ARREST)