Saverio Mammoliti
Encyclopedia
Saverio Mammoliti also known as Saro, is a 'Ndrangheta boss from Oppido Mamertina
and Castellace in Calabria
. In 2003, he became a pentito
when he decided to collaborate with Italian justice. Saro Mammoliti’s nickname was the "playboy of Castellace" for his good looks and taste in women
plain. The Mammoliti 'ndrina
was based in Castelacce. His father Francesco Mammoliti was killed in October 1954 in a feud with the Barbaro 'ndrina
. His brother Vincenzo Mammoliti, took over the command of the clan seconded by their other brother Antonino Mammoliti. After Vincenzo’s death in August 1988, Saro succeeded him.
In contrast to the conservative rural traditions of the Ndrangheta, Saro Mammoliti became a ‘modern’ boss, enjoying the good life in Reggio Calabria and Rome – well-dressed and driving around in his Jaguar in the company of beautiful women, which earned him the nickname, the "playboy of Castellace".
In December 1972 he escaped from custody in relation the long-running feud with the Barbaro clan, and lived more or less openly without fear of recapture for the next 20 years. In 1976, while officially a fugitive, he got married to the 15-year-old Maria Caterina Nava at Castellace's parish church next to the local police station, and he subsequently visited each of his new-born children at the local hospital.
on July 10, 1973, in Rome
. Police considered him to be "very close to the brain, or rather brains, behind the plot," including one of the most important bosses of the 'Ndrangheta, Girolamo Piromalli
. Nine men eventually were arrested. Two were convicted and sent to prison. The others, including Piromalli and Mammoliti, were acquitted for lack of evidence. However, Mammoliti, a fugitive at the time, was convicted for drug trafficking.
The ransom of approximately US$3 million was invested in the trucks with which the 'Ndrangheta won all the transportation contracts for the container port of Gioia Tauro. After he decided to collaborate with Italian justice, Mammoliti confessed to have been involved in the kidnap.
The Mammoliti clan also 'persuaded' local landowners to sell them their lands at giveaway prices, or to rent it to them for next to nothing - or the clan simply fenced it in and treated it as its own.
(FBN) had approached to supply heroin and cocaine. Mammoliti explained that before a deal could be made he needed acquiescence of three people – the other two were Antonio Macrì
and Girolamo Piromalli
. If they would give their consent he had every amount of cocaine available; but when it came to heroin he needed to contact “his friend Paolo Violi
” in Canada.
He was seen in Tangiers (Morocco) and Amsterdam (the Netherlands) – hubs in international drug trafficking – and allegedly invested his criminal proceeds in hotel construction at the Calabrian coast.
He did not stay behind bars for long, however. He supposedly had friends in high places: the telephone numbers of the prime minister's office and various Rome ministries were once found in his possession. He has had his property seized then handed back.
.
Released for insufficient proof he was arrested again on August 31, 1992. Charges include allegations of the murder of baron Francesco Cordopatri, whose lands had been effectively seized by the Mammoliti-clan; six bomb attacks; 19 arson attacks; the destruction of 1,100 olive, citrus and kiwi trees in 15 separate incursions, and 14 instances of agricultural equipment stolen.
He was sent down for 22 years for extortion and other Mafia-related charges. In 1995, he received a life sentence in the trial against the "Mafia of three provinces".
Oppido Mamertina
Oppido Mamertina is a town and comune of the province of Reggio Calabria in Calabria in southern Italy at about 62 kilometres northeast of Reggio Calabria and about 120 kilometres southwest of Catanzaro....
and Castellace in Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
. In 2003, he became a pentito
Pentito
Pentito designates people in Italy who, formerly part of criminal or terrorist organizations, following their arrests decide to "repent" and collaborate with the judicial system to help investigations...
when he decided to collaborate with Italian justice. Saro Mammoliti’s nickname was the "playboy of Castellace" for his good looks and taste in women
'Ndrangheta heritage
Saro Mammoliti was born in a historical crime family in the Gioia TauroGioia Tauro
Gioia Tauro is a comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, in Calabria , on the Tyrrhenian coast. It has an important port, situated along the route connecting Suez to Gibraltar, one of the busiest maritime corridors in the world....
plain. The Mammoliti 'ndrina
Mammoliti 'ndrina
The Mammoliti 'ndrina is a powerful clan of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organisation in Calabria, Italy. The 'ndrina is based in Castellace and Oppido Mamertina in the plain of Gioia Tauro in southern Calabria on the Tyrrhenian coast. The clan is considered to be one of the more...
was based in Castelacce. His father Francesco Mammoliti was killed in October 1954 in a feud with the Barbaro 'ndrina
Barbaro 'ndrina
The Barbaro 'ndrina is a clan of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organisation in Calabria, Italy. The 'ndrina is currently based in Platì...
. His brother Vincenzo Mammoliti, took over the command of the clan seconded by their other brother Antonino Mammoliti. After Vincenzo’s death in August 1988, Saro succeeded him.
In contrast to the conservative rural traditions of the Ndrangheta, Saro Mammoliti became a ‘modern’ boss, enjoying the good life in Reggio Calabria and Rome – well-dressed and driving around in his Jaguar in the company of beautiful women, which earned him the nickname, the "playboy of Castellace".
In December 1972 he escaped from custody in relation the long-running feud with the Barbaro clan, and lived more or less openly without fear of recapture for the next 20 years. In 1976, while officially a fugitive, he got married to the 15-year-old Maria Caterina Nava at Castellace's parish church next to the local police station, and he subsequently visited each of his new-born children at the local hospital.
Getty kidnap
Saro Mammoliti was one of the men charged with the kidnap of John Paul Getty IIIJohn Paul Getty III
Jean Paul Getty III , also known as Paul Getty, was the eldest of the four children of John Paul Getty, Jr. and Abigail , and the grandson of oil tycoon Jean Paul Getty...
on July 10, 1973, in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Police considered him to be "very close to the brain, or rather brains, behind the plot," including one of the most important bosses of the 'Ndrangheta, Girolamo Piromalli
Girolamo Piromalli
Girolamo Piromalli , also known as Mommo, was a historical and charismatic boss of the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type organisation in Calabria . His criminal base was his home town Gioia Tauro on the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria...
. Nine men eventually were arrested. Two were convicted and sent to prison. The others, including Piromalli and Mammoliti, were acquitted for lack of evidence. However, Mammoliti, a fugitive at the time, was convicted for drug trafficking.
The ransom of approximately US$3 million was invested in the trucks with which the 'Ndrangheta won all the transportation contracts for the container port of Gioia Tauro. After he decided to collaborate with Italian justice, Mammoliti confessed to have been involved in the kidnap.
The Mammoliti clan also 'persuaded' local landowners to sell them their lands at giveaway prices, or to rent it to them for next to nothing - or the clan simply fenced it in and treated it as its own.
Drug trafficking
Mammoliti was involved in heroin and cocaine trafficking. In 1973 he was charged of heroin trafficking when an undercover operation by the US Federal Bureau of NarcoticsFederal Bureau of Narcotics
The Federal Bureau of Narcotics was an agency of the United States Department of the Treasury. Established in the Department of the Treasury by an act of June 14, 1930 consolidating the functions of the Federal Narcotics Control Board and the Narcotic Division...
(FBN) had approached to supply heroin and cocaine. Mammoliti explained that before a deal could be made he needed acquiescence of three people – the other two were Antonio Macrì
Antonio Macrì
Antonio Macrì , popularly known as Zzi 'ntoni, was a historical and charismatic boss of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organisation in Calabria, Italy...
and Girolamo Piromalli
Girolamo Piromalli
Girolamo Piromalli , also known as Mommo, was a historical and charismatic boss of the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type organisation in Calabria . His criminal base was his home town Gioia Tauro on the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria...
. If they would give their consent he had every amount of cocaine available; but when it came to heroin he needed to contact “his friend Paolo Violi
Paolo Violi
Paolo Violi was an Italian-Canadian mobster and longtime underboss of the Bonanno crime family's faction in Montreal, the Cotroni crime family. The Violi and Cotroni families were from Calabria while the Rizzuto crime family, like the Bonannos, were from Sicily...
” in Canada.
He was seen in Tangiers (Morocco) and Amsterdam (the Netherlands) – hubs in international drug trafficking – and allegedly invested his criminal proceeds in hotel construction at the Calabrian coast.
Trouble with the law
In 1982 he was convicted to 33 years in jail at the Maxi Trial against the Ndrangheta, only to have it quashed by the Supreme Court. He was arrested on June 9, 1984, charged with homicide.He did not stay behind bars for long, however. He supposedly had friends in high places: the telephone numbers of the prime minister's office and various Rome ministries were once found in his possession. He has had his property seized then handed back.
Arrest
He was again on June 1, 1992, together with his wife Maria Caterina Nava and three others. At the time he was considered to be the number two of the 'Ndrangheta in the Gioia Tauro plain, next to Giuseppe Peppino PiromalliGiuseppe Piromalli (born 1921)
Giuseppe Piromalli , also known as "Peppino", was an Italian criminal known as a member of the 'Ndrangheta in Calabria. A native of Gioia Tauro, Piromalli was one of the most famous of the 'Ndrangheta bosses and headed the Piromalli 'ndrina...
.
Released for insufficient proof he was arrested again on August 31, 1992. Charges include allegations of the murder of baron Francesco Cordopatri, whose lands had been effectively seized by the Mammoliti-clan; six bomb attacks; 19 arson attacks; the destruction of 1,100 olive, citrus and kiwi trees in 15 separate incursions, and 14 instances of agricultural equipment stolen.
He was sent down for 22 years for extortion and other Mafia-related charges. In 1995, he received a life sentence in the trial against the "Mafia of three provinces".
Pentito
In May 2003, Mammoliti decided to collaborate with the Italian justice and became a pentito. Nevertheless, he received another 20 years sentence for his role in the Oppidio feud between rival clans over the control of the area.Sources
- Arlacchi, Pino (1988). Mafia Business. The Mafia Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Oxford: Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-285197-7
- Paoli, Letizia (2003). Mafia Brotherhoods: Organized Crime, Italian Style, Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-515724-9