How The 'Ndrangheta Allegedly Infiltrated Canadian Banks
Italy's most powerful mafia group The 'Ndrangheta allegedly entered Canada's financial system. They allegedly laundered millions through relationships with bankers. This is the tale of how organized crime met corporate banking, and how it all played out.
The 'Ndrangheta, the shadowy Italian mafia, has long been a major player in international organized crime. But its purported infiltration of Canadian banks shows new sophistication. Accused of using relationships with employees at major Canadian banks to launder money and fund crime, one Toronto-based faction is led by Angelo Figliomeni. It was never tried despite a massive police investigation. So how do we combat organized crime in Canada? So how did a panini-selling man become a key figure in this international web of connections?
Lessons from Online Casinos on Trust
Any financial system, whether it is a bank, business, or online casino, relies on trust. As an example, players are attracted to casinos that let you play without making a deposit because they offer safe, risk-free gaming. These are secure platforms that attract players by protecting their data and their money. Banking works on the same basic idea of trust between people and banks. But what happens if that trust gets taken advantage of?
Police say in the case of The 'Ndrangheta, the group manipulated this trust to enter Canadian banks. The group allegedly broke into systems designed to protect legitimate transactions by forming relationships with bank employees. This breach of trust let them move the illicit funds undetected, at least temporarily. Similar parallels exist: just as online casinos must improve their security to protect their players, banks must prevent exploitation by organized crime.
A Relationship Built on Trust and Cash
This all begins with Angelo Figliomeni allegedly cheating on him by dating Nicola "Nick" Martino, a former Royal Bank of Canada employee. Police wiretaps caught Figliomeni asking for answers about missing funds and Martino allegedly facilitating deposits. The investigators believe those deposits were part of a larger money-laundering ring that had Martino moving the shady funds into seemingly legitimate accounts.
The role of Martino went beyond banking. He once ran Figliomeni's sandwich shop, Via Panini, and sold him a house. Police allege Martino was involved in the group's activities, using his role at RBC to rig financial systems. Martino was never charged despite such allegations. Police had painted routine banking as criminal, his lawyers argued. This raises questions about How much trust should a banker have with a client before it becomes illegal?
TD Banking on Unorthodox Practices
Not only did Figliomeni allegedly operate a network at RBC, but Police also investigated two employees of TD Bank - financial planner Gabriel D'Andrea. Wiretaps revealed that D'Andrea was friends with senior Figliomeni associate Vito Sili. In one call, D'Andrea told Sili: "You're never too busy for your banker." the seemingly innocent phrase took on a darker connotation when police charged D'Andrea with helping the group bank illegally.
And D'Andrea allegedly interfered with the bank. But he was caught on wiretaps and stayed at TD for years after the probe ended. The bank put him on administrative leave and launched an internal probe. Yet the case illustrates an unfortunate reality: even the most reputable institutions are open to organized crime infiltration.
Targetting Financial Systems
The case of John Gotti's grandson, Carmine G. Agnello is another example of alleged abuse of financial systems. They both show how organized crime targets legitimate programs, whether COVID relief loans or banking networks, to launder money or commit fraud. These cases highlight a continuing struggle to protect financial systems from criminal penetration.
The alleged operations in Canada are part of an overall international strategy. Italian authorities call it a "global criminal enterprise" with cells in over 30 countries. Figliomeni remains close to his native Siderno, Calabria. He is a top figure in the Siderno faction, which has turned its power base to Canada because the country has more money and weaker anti-mafia laws, Italian police allege.
This transnational website complicates law enforcement efforts. Even though Italian authorities have prosecuted Ndrangheta leaders at home, the Canadian legal system does not have a specific mafia association charge provision. This has given figures like Figliomeni relative impunity. The case asks: Can Canada fight organized crime without tougher anti-mafia laws?
The Never-Ending Trial
Although the case was as huge as Project Sindacato, an investigation into Figliomeni's alleged network, it collapsed before the trial began. Prosecutors suspended all charges after it emerged that police had intercepted privileged conversations between defendants and their lawyers. That legal error forced authorities to return more than $35 million in seized assets, including luxury cars and properties.
That's left some law enforcement frustrated. York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween said it was a lost chance to really hold a major crime group responsible. For the banks impacted, the case has been a reputational headache. RBC and TD both acknowledged cooperating with authorities but questions remain about internal controls. How can financial institutions spot organized crime before it infiltrates?
Wrapping up with a tale about power, money, and missed chances, this serves as a wake-up call about how organized crime can still have a grip on Canadian banks. The case against Figliomeni and his associates fell apart despite a multi-million-dollar investigation. For mafia buffs, this is a story about a global criminal enterprise and how it can be brought to justice.
The 'Ndrangheta, the shadowy Italian mafia, has long been a major player in international organized crime. But its purported infiltration of Canadian banks shows new sophistication. Accused of using relationships with employees at major Canadian banks to launder money and fund crime, one Toronto-based faction is led by Angelo Figliomeni. It was never tried despite a massive police investigation. So how do we combat organized crime in Canada? So how did a panini-selling man become a key figure in this international web of connections?
Lessons from Online Casinos on Trust
Any financial system, whether it is a bank, business, or online casino, relies on trust. As an example, players are attracted to casinos that let you play without making a deposit because they offer safe, risk-free gaming. These are secure platforms that attract players by protecting their data and their money. Banking works on the same basic idea of trust between people and banks. But what happens if that trust gets taken advantage of?
Police say in the case of The 'Ndrangheta, the group manipulated this trust to enter Canadian banks. The group allegedly broke into systems designed to protect legitimate transactions by forming relationships with bank employees. This breach of trust let them move the illicit funds undetected, at least temporarily. Similar parallels exist: just as online casinos must improve their security to protect their players, banks must prevent exploitation by organized crime.
A Relationship Built on Trust and Cash
This all begins with Angelo Figliomeni allegedly cheating on him by dating Nicola "Nick" Martino, a former Royal Bank of Canada employee. Police wiretaps caught Figliomeni asking for answers about missing funds and Martino allegedly facilitating deposits. The investigators believe those deposits were part of a larger money-laundering ring that had Martino moving the shady funds into seemingly legitimate accounts.
The role of Martino went beyond banking. He once ran Figliomeni's sandwich shop, Via Panini, and sold him a house. Police allege Martino was involved in the group's activities, using his role at RBC to rig financial systems. Martino was never charged despite such allegations. Police had painted routine banking as criminal, his lawyers argued. This raises questions about How much trust should a banker have with a client before it becomes illegal?
TD Banking on Unorthodox Practices
Not only did Figliomeni allegedly operate a network at RBC, but Police also investigated two employees of TD Bank - financial planner Gabriel D'Andrea. Wiretaps revealed that D'Andrea was friends with senior Figliomeni associate Vito Sili. In one call, D'Andrea told Sili: "You're never too busy for your banker." the seemingly innocent phrase took on a darker connotation when police charged D'Andrea with helping the group bank illegally.
And D'Andrea allegedly interfered with the bank. But he was caught on wiretaps and stayed at TD for years after the probe ended. The bank put him on administrative leave and launched an internal probe. Yet the case illustrates an unfortunate reality: even the most reputable institutions are open to organized crime infiltration.
Targetting Financial Systems
The case of John Gotti's grandson, Carmine G. Agnello is another example of alleged abuse of financial systems. They both show how organized crime targets legitimate programs, whether COVID relief loans or banking networks, to launder money or commit fraud. These cases highlight a continuing struggle to protect financial systems from criminal penetration.
The alleged operations in Canada are part of an overall international strategy. Italian authorities call it a "global criminal enterprise" with cells in over 30 countries. Figliomeni remains close to his native Siderno, Calabria. He is a top figure in the Siderno faction, which has turned its power base to Canada because the country has more money and weaker anti-mafia laws, Italian police allege.
This transnational website complicates law enforcement efforts. Even though Italian authorities have prosecuted Ndrangheta leaders at home, the Canadian legal system does not have a specific mafia association charge provision. This has given figures like Figliomeni relative impunity. The case asks: Can Canada fight organized crime without tougher anti-mafia laws?
The Never-Ending Trial
Although the case was as huge as Project Sindacato, an investigation into Figliomeni's alleged network, it collapsed before the trial began. Prosecutors suspended all charges after it emerged that police had intercepted privileged conversations between defendants and their lawyers. That legal error forced authorities to return more than $35 million in seized assets, including luxury cars and properties.
That's left some law enforcement frustrated. York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween said it was a lost chance to really hold a major crime group responsible. For the banks impacted, the case has been a reputational headache. RBC and TD both acknowledged cooperating with authorities but questions remain about internal controls. How can financial institutions spot organized crime before it infiltrates?
Wrapping up with a tale about power, money, and missed chances, this serves as a wake-up call about how organized crime can still have a grip on Canadian banks. The case against Figliomeni and his associates fell apart despite a multi-million-dollar investigation. For mafia buffs, this is a story about a global criminal enterprise and how it can be brought to justice.
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