Vollaro clan
Encyclopedia
The Vollaro clan is a Neapolitan Camorra
clan operating in the area east of Naples
, more specifically in the town of Portici
and San Sebastiano al Vesuvio
, a small village in the Vesuvius area.
The Vollaro clan was founded in the mid-seventies by Luigi Vollaro
nicknamed "'o Califfo" (The Caliph) for his alleged unlimited sexual potency. When he eventually was arrested in 1982, the police found that Vollaro was living in a concubinage with 17 women and had 27 children. When asked by the judge whether he belonged to the Camorra, he replied: "What is the Camorra? A criminal organization, they say. I belong only to my family. I mate only with my women."
The Vollaro clan has fought two Cammora wars. The first between 1977 and 1997, was an internal war plagued by a score of murders and the other, in late 2001 and early 2002, was with the Cozzilino clan.
The Vollaro clan was one of the first clans to take sides with the powerful Alfieri clan
from Piazzolla di Nola
, led by Carmine Alfieri
against the Nuova Camorra Organizzata
(NCO) which was led by Raffaele Cutolo
. It was also one of the first clans to join the Nuova Famiglia
(NF), a coalition of anti-Cutolo clans which was formed to contrast the growing power of the NCO.
In 1982, Luigi Vollaro was arrested after spending three years on the run and was charged with the murder of Giuseppe Mutillo in 1980. Vollaro was later sentenced to life imprisonment for this murder. In 2003, Vollaro received a second life sentence for the murder of Carlo Lardone.
In 1992, Vollaro was subjected to the harsh Article 41-bis prison regime
, thus having the distinction of being one of the first Camorra bosses to be subjected to this regime. For a short period after his arrest, the management of his illegal businesses went to his sons Pietro, Giuseppe and Raffaele. Another son, Antonio who had dissociated from the family business early on, was wrongly detained years for a murder committed by his brother Ciro. Ciro admitted to the murder after becoming a pentito
(collaborator with Italian Justice) and with his confessions, dealt a massive blow to the clan's activities.
Five sons of the "Caliph" were arrested on June 10, 2009, including the regent of the clan, Antonio Vollaro. The investigation leading to the arrests showed that nearly the entire town of Portici paid extortion money (the pizzo
) to the clan, from the shops in the center to ambulant street sellers. The more affluent shops in the center of town had to pay between 500 and 2,000 euros a month, while the street sellers had to pay 30-40 euro a week. At Christmas, Easter and the holiday season extras had to be paid.
The continuing arrests of the Vollaro clan's members is likely to break the balance of local organized crime. Its weaking is likely to pave the way for the more powerful Sarno clan.
Camorra
The Camorra is a Mafia-type criminal organization, or secret society, originating in the region of Campania and its capital Naples in Italy. It is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating to the 18th century.-Background:...
clan operating in the area east of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, more specifically in the town of Portici
Portici
Portici is a town and comune of the Province of Naples in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is the site of the Portici Royal Palace.-Geography:...
and San Sebastiano al Vesuvio
San Sebastiano al Vesuvio
San Sebastiano al Vesuvio is a comune in the province of Naples, located on the western slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Its elevation means that it is often a few degrees cooler than the neighbouring metropolis of Naples....
, a small village in the Vesuvius area.
History
Luigi Vollaro
Luigi Vollaro is a member of the Camorra and boss of his name-sake, the Vollaro clan from Portici and San Sebastiano a Vesuvio, a small village in the Vesuvius area, east of Naples....
nicknamed "'o Califfo" (The Caliph) for his alleged unlimited sexual potency. When he eventually was arrested in 1982, the police found that Vollaro was living in a concubinage with 17 women and had 27 children. When asked by the judge whether he belonged to the Camorra, he replied: "What is the Camorra? A criminal organization, they say. I belong only to my family. I mate only with my women."
The Vollaro clan has fought two Cammora wars. The first between 1977 and 1997, was an internal war plagued by a score of murders and the other, in late 2001 and early 2002, was with the Cozzilino clan.
The Vollaro clan was one of the first clans to take sides with the powerful Alfieri clan
Alfieri clan
The Alfieri clan was a Neapolitan Camorra clan operating on the north-east of Naples, with its sphere of influence in the municipalities of Saviano and Nola.-History:...
from Piazzolla di Nola
Nola
Nola is a city and comune of Campania, southern Italy, in the province of Naples, situated in the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines...
, led by Carmine Alfieri
Carmine Alfieri
Carmine Alfieri is an Italian Camorra boss, who rose from Piazzolla di Nola to become one of the most powerful members of Neapolitan Camorra in the 1980s. As boss of the Alfieri clan, he was the undisputed head of the Camorra from 1984 until his arrest in 1992...
against the Nuova Camorra Organizzata
Nuova Camorra Organizzata
The Nuova Camorra Organizzata was an Italian Camorra criminal organization founded in the late 1970s by a Neapolitan Camorrista, Raffaele Cutolo, in the region of Campania. It was also known by the initials NCO...
(NCO) which was led by Raffaele Cutolo
Raffaele Cutolo
Raffaele Cutolo is an Italian crime boss and the charismatic leader of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata , an organisation he built to renew the Camorra. Cutolo has a variety of nicknames including "'o Vangelo" , "'o Principe" , "'o Professore" and "'o Monaco"...
. It was also one of the first clans to join the Nuova Famiglia
Nuova Famiglia
The Nuova Famiglia was an Italian Camorra criminal organization created in the 1980s to face Raffaele Cutolo's Nuova Camorra Organizzata....
(NF), a coalition of anti-Cutolo clans which was formed to contrast the growing power of the NCO.
In 1982, Luigi Vollaro was arrested after spending three years on the run and was charged with the murder of Giuseppe Mutillo in 1980. Vollaro was later sentenced to life imprisonment for this murder. In 2003, Vollaro received a second life sentence for the murder of Carlo Lardone.
In 1992, Vollaro was subjected to the harsh Article 41-bis prison regime
Article 41-bis prison regime
In Italian law, Article 41-bis of the Prison Administration Act is a provision that allows the Minister of Justice or the Minister of the Interior to suspend certain prison regulations...
, thus having the distinction of being one of the first Camorra bosses to be subjected to this regime. For a short period after his arrest, the management of his illegal businesses went to his sons Pietro, Giuseppe and Raffaele. Another son, Antonio who had dissociated from the family business early on, was wrongly detained years for a murder committed by his brother Ciro. Ciro admitted to the murder after becoming 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...
(collaborator with Italian Justice) and with his confessions, dealt a massive blow to the clan's activities.
Five sons of the "Caliph" were arrested on June 10, 2009, including the regent of the clan, Antonio Vollaro. The investigation leading to the arrests showed that nearly the entire town of Portici paid extortion money (the pizzo
Pizzo
Pizzo may refer to:* Pizzo, Calabria, a seaport in Calabria, Italy * Pizzo , imposed by a protection racket, a fee periodically collected by the Mafia from businesses...
) to the clan, from the shops in the center to ambulant street sellers. The more affluent shops in the center of town had to pay between 500 and 2,000 euros a month, while the street sellers had to pay 30-40 euro a week. At Christmas, Easter and the holiday season extras had to be paid.
The continuing arrests of the Vollaro clan's members is likely to break the balance of local organized crime. Its weaking is likely to pave the way for the more powerful Sarno clan.