Rocco Lo Presti

Rocco Lo Presti

Mugshot of the 'Ndrangheta boss of Bardonecchia Rocco Lo Presti
Born (1937-05-06)May 6, 1937
Marina di Gioiosa Ionica, Reggio Calabria, Italy
Died January 23, 2009(2009-01-23)
Turin, Piedmont, Italy
Resting place Cemetery of Bardonecchia
Nationality Italian
Other names Roccu u Maneja
Occupation Crime boss, Businessman, entrepreneur
Allegiance 'Ndrangheta

Rocco Lo Presti (Marina di Gioiosa Ionica May 6, 1937; - Turin January 23, 2009), known in his town of origin as Roccu u Maneja, was an Italian criminal. Historical mafia boss of Bardonecchia and Val di Susa was the godfather of the 'Ndrangheta in Piedmont. Bardonecchia is an alpine town in the province of Turin on the border with France and the main ski resort in Italy. His was a name that marked fifty years Bardonecchia and Val di Susa. He was a piece of economic history. He has employed thousands of people. He built half Bardonecchia entrepreneur during the years of the building boom. For judges of Turin was instead one who imported the phenomenon Mafia in northern Italy. He ruled the roost in the building. He was the man who, during the boom years and the speculation in Piedmont, imposed the rule of labor building throughout the Val di Susa. Over the years Sixties and Seventies his power in Piedmont was equal to that of Antonio Macri in Calabria. He had the hegemony on the territory of the Val di Susa with his cousin Francesco Mazzaferro. Rose to the headlines during the boom years and the speculation before, and the kidnapping-murder Ceretto then, had the absolute power in the building and the underworld in Piedmont until 1975, when he was sent into internal exile on the island of Asinara. For decades it has investigated him. The file is huge, tied with a big string. In the history of the infiltration of the 'Ndrangheta in Piedmont between the '65 and '75 his figure is much talk and is evoked several times by investigators. In the archives of police there are only private and confidential information to thousands of pages, but no concrete evidence of any direct or illegal crimes whatsoever. The file is full of acquittal for lack of evidence. Inquiries, parliamentary reports, complaints, arrest warrants, arrests, seizures. But he always preferred to pose as a mild citizen persecuted by justice. Yet he was the man most talked about of the Val di Susa. A man capable of climbing the rungs of the career criminal slipping between a harmless process and the other, able to conquer power, skilled in being able to build a solid economic position thanks to influential friends that allowed him to create an empire in Bardonecchia during the years of the building boom. Related to the Mazzaferro Family of Marina di Gioiosa Ionica, of which he was the most important exponent, he moved to Piedmont in the late fifties by the town subalpine his fiefdom. He turned reverently many politicians during election campaigns. He had ties with the clan of Marseille and with all the major crime families of Calabria and Sicily. He had friendly relations and business with the Inzerillo Mafia clan -Gambino -Spatola of Palermo. It was through his friendship with Salvatore Inzerillo , boss of Palermo, who was able to go on several occasions in the United States to form alliances with the cousins of the Gambino family of New York. According to an associate justice in recent years he had come and ally to the Aquino family, rivals of Mazzaferro family. Man of the old school was always against drugs.

Biography

Born in Marina di Gioiosa Ionica. At age 16 he leaves the Calabria and moved to Piedmont. In 1957 he was arrested in Casale Monferrato for selling counterfeit notes. In 1963 he settled in Bardonecchia and booming construction puts on a small construction company. In September of the same year, Mario Corino, mayor of Bardonecchia, which is dealing with the speculation and disturbing, was attacked and beaten at night by strangers. Suspicion falls on him. In 1965 he was arrested in Geneva by the Swiss police for a series of thefts in the villas. He is tried and sentenced to two years imprisonment. In 1968 he returned to Bardonecchia and married a fellow villager in one of the most luxurious hotels in the town, the Grand Hotel Riky. It is a fabulous wedding with over 300 guests including some who came specially from America. From then on, anyone who wants to build in Bardonecchia has to pass by him. Those who rebel dies. In 1969 he was suspected of being behind the murder of Vincenzo Timpano, a calabrian assassinated in Exilles in Val di Susa . In 1970 he again suspected as the istigator of the murder of Luigi D'Aguanno, a fence found murdered in an abandoned landfill in Moncalieri. Either way is acquitted of all charges.

From laborer to boss of Bardonecchia

In 1970 he began his great rise in construction. Enters into business relationships with the Sicilians. They arrive in Bardonecchia the brothers Salvatore and Alfonso Gambino of Palermo, direct cousins of the Gambino of New York. They will become his loyal employees in the recruitment and exploitation of labor building. He then joined in friendly relations with their cousin, the young Totuccio Salvatore Inzerillo, the future boss of Palermo, still early in his criminal career. Become close friends. In 1971 he was the king of the contracts, end all to him. Buildings, construction sites and hundreds and hundreds of employees. There is no manager or arms merchant who does not know him. Many argue that in this period has celebrated entrepreneur from its first billion lire. In 1972 comes to stay bound to Bardonecchia cousin Francesco Mazzaferro, said Ciccio. The combination is perfect. Together they dominate the field of winning lucrative contracts such as the construction of the Fréjus Road Tunnel. You start talking about illegal hiring, abusive exploitation of workers, racket in yards. Workers seeking employment who are recruited and taken to mass construction sites in Bardonecchia at the time of their arrival in Piedmont. Entrepreneurs who are threatened and forced to give up all kinds of work on the territory of Bardonecchia. No entrepreneur can move a brick in Bardonecchia without his consent. And he decides who to work. And he who decided the supply of materials. He is to have the power of life or death. Through threats, intimidation and bullying of any kind is able to have control of the labor building in Val di Susa. In May of that year a certain Giovanni Rosace argues that in Bardonecchia takes place an intense traffic of arms and precious from Marseille and he is its promoter.

The strong link with the Gambino Family. The exile on island of Asinara

In 1973 the Interpol signals its presence in New York. For his stay in the United States will be the guest with the family at the Gambino of Cherry Hill. The brothers John, Joseph and Rosario Gambino, cousins Salvatore Inzerillo grandchildren of Carlo Gambino. A photo shows him sitting at a banquet table with Don Carlo Gambino. Two trips in a short space of time. There is talk of entering into business relationships with Gambino Family. Start building in Miami in Florida along with John Gambino and Salvatore Inzerillo. Unfortunately the american dream fades. On his return to Italy, the Parliamentary Antimafia Commission, drawn by the numerous articles in the newspaper, which for a year taking care of him, he made an inspection on the territory of Bardonecchia, and has confirmed the presence of organized crime in identifying him Mafia boss. The then superintendent of Turin dr. Emilio Santillo wrote a voluminous file on the infiltration of the 'Ndrangheta in Val di Susa that would control the building with particular reference to his figure. Thanks to this dossier in 1975 is accused of being the leader of the "racket of arms" and sentenced to three years in exile on the island of Asinara thus entering into the elite of the big Mafia bosses. In this period he will know Luciano Leggio, Ignazio Pullara of Palermo, Giuseppe Di Cristina of Riesi, Rocco Gioffrè of Seminara, Francesco Barbaro of Platì.

The kidnapping-murder Ceretto

In february 1976 he was taken to the island Asinara because accused of being the instigator of the kidnapping-murder of Mario Ceretto, a wealthy industrialist of Cuorgnè found buried in a field in Orbassano. On 23 May 1975 the industrialist will be kidnapped and found dead a week later in the abandoned field. The godfather will be accused by Giovanni Caggegi to be creator of the kidnapping. Acquitted at first instance will be sentenced on appeal to 26 years imprisonment. The Supreme Court, however, refers blatantly to irregularities, the case to the Court of Appeal of Genoa, and the trial ends in acquittal for lack of evidence in december 1982. Years later you will find that it was not completely random decision by the Supreme Court. The old godfather would give back to 30 million lire to a Vatican monsignor, Don Simeone Duca, for his intercession with the judge of the Supreme Court. In 1987 he was arrested for a fraud of three billion pounds to a bank of Cuneo. According to the indictment would force a bank manager for years to cover bounced checks. It will be acquitted of all charges. In 1992 he won the criminal rehabilitation. It is the beginning of a new life. He resizes and remains in the shadows at the edge of organized crime and other Mafia families while remaining the "godfather". Others make money through drug trafficking. He is not. Abandons the activities of the construction industry and is dedicated to commerce and politics. He puts on hotels, restaurants, pizzerias, bars, clubs, clothing stores and arcades. During this time many will turn to him during election campaigns, thanks to the attractive package of votes he enjoyed. Significant has been the 1992 election campaign a political Turin, who even managed to go to the Chamber of Deputies, thanks to its support. In 1993 was arrested in Bardonecchia nephew Giuseppe Ursino along with fifteen other people to traffic in arms and drugs.

Bardonecchia, first town in northern Italy dissolved for mafia. The fall of the Godfather

In 1995 he was re-arrested because of his involvement in the deal Campo Smith. The construction of a mega residence at the foot of the ski resort. An investment of fifty billion lire. The biggest work ever made in Bardonecchia after the Fréjus Road Tunnel. According to the indictment he would be at the head of the organization that would handle the operation "Campo Smith". He was arrested the mayor of Bardonecchia Alessandro Gibello, and are involved in the investigation of all officials of the Municipality for alleged constraints due to the organized crime. It is also investigated the police sergeant who for years have favored the old godfather in shady deals. May 5, 1995, by decree of the government will be dissolved the council of Bardonecchia. Until a few years ago, the first and only municipality in northern Italy dissolved for alleged mafia infiltration. The seized goods are worth 10 billion lire. In 2006 he was arrested for a ride wear millionaire along with grandchildren, brothers Luciano and Giuseppe Ursino, and are again seized assets worth 2 million Euros. Lately the disease has unfortunately weakened in the physical and in the role and is forced to continuous medical care. Passes the last period of life, moving from one hospital to another. He died on January 23 of 2009 in the Department detained of Molinette Hospital in Turin at the age of 72, the day after confirmation of sentence to six years for criminal association with the mafia. The first and only conviction of his criminal career. Many are wondering now who will take his place. But perhaps his heirs have already been designated. In the posters listed in mourning the first names were not those of their children, but his beloved grandchildren, Luciano and Giuseppe Ursino. He was buried in the Cemetery of Bardonecchia. In a few attend his funeral for fear of control by the police. Even today, many consider him a benefactor.

Sources

See also

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