160 years in Palermo, 16 members of the Santa Maria di Gesù mafia clan

Last Updated: October 24, 2023

The judge of the Palermo court, Ivana Vassallo, has sentenced sixteen defendants, believed to be members of the Santa Maria di Gesù mafia clan, to a total of over 160 years in prison. They were involved in the Navel operation in June 2022, carried out by the Carabinieri del Ros, coordinated by the DDA with Deputy Prosecutor Paolo Guido and prosecutors Dario Scaletta and Luisa Bettiol. The court also revealed the organization of a concert by neomelodic singer Tony Colombo in 2019, which was cancelled due to the presence of convicted mobsters close to the organizers. The Santa Maria di Gesù mafia managed extortion and protection rackets against businessmen. The highest sentences, 20 years each, were handed to Salvatore Profeta Jr. and Ignazio Traina. The trial concluded with eight defendants acquitted of the charges.