Italy’s largest-ever mafia trial concluded on Monday, delivering extensive prison sentences to over 330 suspected members of the ‘Ndrangheta crime group, spanning from mobsters to white-collar professionals. The trial, lasting nearly three years in the southern region of Calabria, addressed charges such as extortion, drug trafficking, and theft.
Notably, local leaders Saverio Razionale and Domenico Bonavota received 30-year sentences. Among the convicted figures were lawyer Giancarlo Pittelli, sentenced to 11 years for mafia collusion, and former police chief Giorgio Naselli, who received two years and six months.
While the prosecution didn’t secure all desired penalties, more than 100 individuals were cleared. The ‘Ndrangheta, considered Italy’s most potent mafia, faced this trial in Lamezia Terme, with a unique focus on the Mancuso clan from Vibo Valentia.
The verdict, subject to appeal, marks a significant moment in the fight against organized crime, with the last comparable trial in Palermo in 1986 targeting Cosa Nostra.
Criminology professor Anna Sergi emphasized the specificity of the ‘Ndrangheta structure in Vibo Valentia, noting the potential for two appeals under Italian law. In November 2021, an additional 70 defendants opted for a fast-track procedure, resulting in guilty verdicts and reduced sentences.
