Boss Giovanni Lauria found dead in his Licata home, possibly from a heart attack.

Last Updated: August 26, 2023

Giovanni Lauria, also known as “il professore,” considered the top figure of the Licata mafia, has died at the age of 83, possibly from a heart attack. He was found by his family in his home in Licata. In March 2020, Lauria had been granted house arrest due to his advanced age and was wearing an electronic bracelet. He had previously been incarcerated in the maximum-security prison in Tolmezzo for a conviction related to the Assedio-Halycon case. Lauria was a central figure in investigations that exposed the connections between the Licata mafia, politics, and freemasonry. He was also implicated in the recent Xydi anti-mafia investigation, which dismantled historical mafia clans in Agrigento, Palma di Montechiaro, and Canicattì. During this investigation, it was revealed that former lawyer Angela Porcello informed Lauria about information provided by the imprisoned Giuseppe Falsone, highlighting their close relationship as well as Lauria’s ties to the mafia.