Italy in Shock as First Casalesi Camorra Boss Flips
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| Antonio Iovine, first boss of the Casalesi clan to flip. |
Antonio Iovine, known as o'ninno or "the baby" due to his youthful face and swift climb up the ladder -- he is one of four bosses of the Casalesi clan -- all of which have been jailed for life following a major trial in 2008, began working with anti-Mafia prosecutors earlier this month.
Iovine, 49, reportedly led the business side of the clan's activities.
The Casalesi is the clan our roving correspondent Charles DeLucca has been reporting on for this blog.
He once wrote here: "Our first boss was Antonio Bardellino, [John] Gotti´s friend. The clan is named after the town of Casale di Principe. Don Antonio Bardellino formed the clan in the early 80s. When Gotti Sr. was boss, our clan was shipping drugs from Naples to NYC."
"Until now, none of the core leadership of the Casalesi has ever turned state witness," John Dickie, professor of Italian studies at University College London and the author of several books on the mafia, told media. "It will be interesting to see if this is the start of the fissuring of this leadership group."
Roberto Saviano, a journalist whose bestselling book Gomorrah earned him repeated death threats from the Casalesi, noted further: "This is news that risks changing for good what we know to be true about business and organised crime not only in Campania [and] not only in Italy."
"He [Iovine] is someone who knows everything. And so now everything could change. The earth is trembling for a large part of the business and political worlds – and for entire branches of institutions.
"The companies, big and small, which … were born and prospered thanks to the flow of cash from Antonio Iovine feel as if they're in a room whose walls are increasingly closing in."
Saviano, who lives under police protection, grew up in Casal di Principe – home of the Casalesi – and took particular aim at the clan's activities in his book, which became an award-winning film.
Saviano predicted that his decision to talk could serve up the dirt behind 40 years of of politics in Italy, including regarding Nicola Cosentino, a major ally of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Iovine was sentenced to life in absentia, following the so-called Spartacus maxi-trial in 2008. He also got another 21 years and six months added on at the end of a trial this year.
None of the other Casalesi bosses in prison – Francesco Schiavone (AKA Sandokan), Francesco Bidognetti or Michele Zagaria – have collaborated.
Interior minister Angelino Alfano told Sky TG24 television on Thursday: "Sincere repentances have helped the fight against the Cosa Nostra and the [Calabrian] 'Ndrangheta … If the same thing happens with the Camorra it could open interesting scenarios and could even lead us to its defeat."