Rome – The murder of Fabrizio Piscitelli, known as 'Diabolik', was ordered by the boss Michele Senese 'o pazz' and his godson Leandro Bennato 'il Miliardero'.
Senese is the "principal instigator" who authorized the killing of the Lazio fan in the Parco degli Acquedotti on August 7, 2019. This is evident from the precautionary custody order executed this morning by the Carabinieri Investigative Unit and officers from the Rome Flying Squad, acting on behalf of the Anti-Mafia Directorate (DDA), against seven people accused of the murder.
According to anti-mafia prosecutors, Michele Senese, originally from Afragola but now living in Rome, where he heads the eponymous clan, allegedly provided the crucial prior consent for Piscitelli's murder. The punitive action, according to investigations, served to reaffirm the clan's power over one of its own members.
The preparatory stages of the ambush at the Aqueduct Park: the roles of Bennato and Calderone
Leandro Bennato, Senese's godson and a prisoner under the 41 bis regime, is said to have planned the logistics on site, conducting preliminary inspections, and, on the day of the crime, provided direct support by escorting—on a stolen scooter—the killer Raul Esteban Calderon, aka Gustavo Alejandro Musumeci, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2025 for the murder of Diabolik.
Alessandro Capriotti, aka "Il Fornaro" or "Il Miliardero," suspected of being the handler and mastermind, was tasked with luring Piscitelli into a trap. The notorious cocaine broker allegedly arranged a fictitious meeting with Piscitelli on a park bench on Via Lemonia at 7:00 PM on August 7, 2019, knowingly luring him into the range of the hitman, who was already disguised as a runner and stationed in the area.
Investigations by the Carabinieri Investigative Unit and officers from the Rome Flying Squad have allowed them to reconstruct the background that led to the murder.
The clash over the drug market between Diabolik and the Albanians and the Senese clan
The disagreement between the groups led by Capriotti and Piscitelli is thought to date back to two separate scams committed by 'the Billionaire' in the purchase of cocaine shipments from Albanian suppliers in 2016 (14 kg worth 420 thousand euros) and 2018 (10 kg).
Piscitelli, historically linked to Albanian brokers, had violently intervened in the affair to forcefully demand payment of the €300 unpaid debt. The conflict reached its peak on February 23, 2019, in Rocca di Papa, when Arindi Boci and Enea Carka, on Piscitelli's orders, allegedly carried out a violent intimidation attack, firing four Kalashnikov shots at the front door of Capriotti's villa while his youngest daughter was inside.
This show of force would have prompted Capriotti to demand protection—in exchange for luxury watches—from Giuseppe Molisso and to decide to eliminate his rival. But Piscitelli's death did not quell the spiral of bloodshed in the capital and the clashes between rival groups.
Indeed, immediately after the murder, Diabolik's loyalists, linked to the Albanian faction led by Elvis Demce, reportedly began an intensive search and tailing operation to identify and kill the instigators, who were immediately identified by criminal circles as Molisso and Bennato.
The Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office's investigations have shed light on what happened in the aftermath of Piscitelli's murder. The group of Albanians—determined to avenge their leader—tried to kill Molisso and Bennato, who in turn returned fire. The investigators' reconstruction includes numerous bloody incidents: the attempted murder of Leandro Bennato; the attempted murders of Fabrizio Fabietti and Matteo Costacurta; the attempted murder of Giuseppe Molisso, planned down to the smallest detail by Albanian Elvis Demce, his associates, and Costacurta; and the prison attack on Raul Esteban Calderone, Piscitelli's killer, perpetrated by Albanians.
In 2026, the plan for 'Il Biondo' and 'Messi' to escape from Rovigo prison by helicopter was finalized.
The connection between Bennato, a powerful drug trafficker, and Esteban Calderone emerged in early 2026 during investigations into a plan to escape from Rovigo prison, where "Il Biondo" was being held under the 41-bis regime. The boss had personally planned the escape, using a cell phone to maintain contact with the outside world and control the criminal group. According to investigators, the escape plan also involved Calderone, alias Messi, Piscitelli's killer.
The prison police in Rovigo had foiled the escape, which was supposed to have resulted in a flight to Croatia. The plan was reconstructed after the seizure of several cell phones hidden inside the prison. A helicopter was planned to descend on the prison to pick up the boss from the guard walkways, who would then be released from cell number 18 where he was being held.
The war between drug trafficking bosses came full circle today with the DDA's precautionary custody order for seven people.
Chronicles of Campania
Camorra Capitale: The brother of the Senese boss and the deputy of "Diabolik" arrested
A massive raid in the early hours of today shook the capital: the Carabinieri of the Rome Provincial Command, on behalf of the…
Domande frequenti sull'omicidio di Fabrizio Piscitelli
Ecco alcune domande comuni riguardo all'omicidio di Fabrizio Piscitelli, noto come 'Diabolik', e le indagini che ne sono seguite.
Chi sono i mandanti dell'omicidio di Diabolik?
I mandanti sono Michele Senese e Leandro Bennato.
Qual è stato il motivo dell'omicidio?
L'omicidio è stato motivato da uno scontro per il controllo del mercato della droga.
What emerged from the investigations?
Le indagini hanno rivelato un piano dettagliato per l'omicidio e il coinvolgimento di diversi membri del clan.
Ci sono stati tentativi di vendetta dopo l'omicidio?
Sì, i fedelissimi di Diabolik hanno avviato una serie di tentativi di omicidio contro i mandanti.
