Blitz against Camorra-Mafia, Palermo’s neo-melodic singer Tony Colombo arrested

Last Updated: October 17, 2023

Tony Colombo, a Neapolitan singer known for his legal troubles, and his wife Tina Rispoli, widow of an organized crime boss, are among the 27 individuals targeted in the precautionary measures issued by the judge in Naples as part of an investigation into the business activities of the Di Lauro clan. According to the investigations conducted by the Carabinieri and the District Anti-Mafia Directorate, the Di Lauro clan invested in clothing companies and created brands, including one called “Corleone,” in collaboration with Colombo. The energy drink “9 mm” and the provocative clothing brand associated with organized crime were also linked to the Di Lauro clan. The investigations revealed the establishment of a sort of “Di Lauro spa,” with investments made through front companies owned by proxies to engage in less risky activities such as operating a gym, a betting shop, and supermarkets. Cigarette smuggling from Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria and Ukraine was also part of the Di Lauro clan’s core business. Additionally, investigators discovered the establishment of a cigarette factory, funded in part by Colombo and Rispoli, to package foreign tobacco and distribute it both in Italy and abroad. The investigations targeted illicit activities between 2017 and 2021, including drug trafficking, extortion, threats against the family members of a collaborator, and intimidations against entrepreneurs participating in judicial auctions. The Licciardi and Vinella Grassi clans were also involved in extortion schemes targeting entrepreneurs connected to the Di Lauro family.