Caivano – The first degree of the trial that accused a system of illicit business between politics, the Camorra and entrepreneurship in the municipality of Caivano, in the province of Naples, ended with 12 convictions and 2 acquittals.
Article Key Points
The sentence, issued with the abbreviated rite, saw representatives of the municipal administration and members of the Angelino clan convicted, involved in a criminal pact that for years managed local tenders. The investigation, coordinated by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate (DDA) of Naples, led to the dissolution of the Municipality due to mafia infiltration.
Among those condemned, the names of stand out: Antonio Angelino, known as “Tibiuccio”, clan leader sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in prison, and Gaetano Angelino, brother of Antonio, who will have to serve 15 years. John Cipolletti, another member of the clan, was sentenced to 12 years, while lesser sentences were given to Raffaele Lionelli (8 years), Massimiliano Volpicelli (7 years), Raffaele Bervicato (5 years and 6 months) and Domenico Galdiero (4 years).
On the political front, the former municipal councilor Carmine Peluso was sentenced to 5 years and 8 months in prison, compared to the 6 requested by the prosecution. The former councilor Giamante Alibrico received a sentence of 8 years and 6 months, while Martino Pezzella, a municipal technician, was sentenced to 9 years and 8 months.
Angelo Natale and the entrepreneur Domenico Celiento were acquitted, while Vincenzo Celiento, another entrepreneur, was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months.
The convictions, however, represent only the first degree of judgment, and the defense lawyers have already announced an appeal. As is known, the final guilt will be ascertained only after the third degree of judgment.
The “business committee” between politics and the Camorra
The investigation, launched by the Carabinieri and coordinated by the DDA, brought to light a real “business committee” involving Camorristi, public administrators and entrepreneurs. The system, based on bribes and illicit agreements, guaranteed the assignment of municipal contracts to companies close to the clan, with economic advantages for all the actors involved. The tenders, often announced after the works had already been completed, were the result of pre-established agreements between politicians, municipal technicians and entrepreneurs.
The revelations of Carmine Peluso
The protagonist of the investigations was the former councilor Carmine Peluso, elected city councilor in 2020 and then appointed councilor. During the investigations, Peluso admitted his role as "guarantor" in the relationships between the Angelino clan and local entrepreneurs.
“I was the main linchpin, in charge of bringing the clan’s requests to the companies,” he declared in a report dated January 25. Peluso described a well-tested modus operandi: “The tenders were called after the work had already been done, based on early agreements between me, the technician Zampella and the companies.”
The former councilor also confessed to having drawn personal benefits from the system: "I had the companies I wanted work for me, which guaranteed me electoral consensus. Furthermore, I received cash payments, from a minimum of 500 euros up to 3.000 euros for each contract."
The ordinary process is still ongoing
In addition to those sentenced with the abbreviated trial, another 11 people under investigation – including three politicians, a municipal technician, three entrepreneurs and four members of the Angelino clan – have chosen the ordinary rite. Their trial is still in its initial phase, with the first hearings just started. The affair, which has revealed a perverse connection between organized crime and institutions, represents a hard blow for the territory of Caivano, already marked by years of corruption and mafia infiltration.
Today's sentence, although not definitive, marks a first step towards justice, but leaves many questions open about the recovery capacity of a territory still gripped by the Camorra.
Article published on 26 February 2025 - 18:48
The verdict of this trial is an important fact for Caivano, but I do not know if it is enough to stop the corruption that has lasted for years. I hope that the appeals do not slow down justice further and that we can have clarity on the facts.