Confiscation of Rosario Castello’s empire in Palermo: state seizes assets worth 26 million

Last Updated: March 7, 2024

Palermo, passa allo Stato l'impero di Rosario Castello: maxi confisca da 26 milioni

A total of €26 million worth of assets have been confiscated by the Finance Guard in Palermo from Rosario Castello, a 72-year-old luxury car entrepreneur, who has been definitively convicted of external association with the mafia. The measure was issued by the prevention measures section, at the request of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate.

In particular, as an entrepreneur in the car trading sector, he provided active support for the maintenance and consolidation of the criminal organization by systematically procuring “clean” cars for use by certain fugitives, including members of the Brancaccio mafia faction Lorenzo Tinnirello and Cristofaro Cannella. Castello allegedly provided secure locations for holding “private meetings” among mafia members and also acted as a frontman for the mafia families of Corso dei Mille and Brancaccio, investing money on behalf of mobster Antonino Spadaro.

The prevention procedure, which stemmed from the evidence leading to the conviction judgments, revealed a significant disparity between declared income and the assets held by the entrepreneur and his family. In particular, their commercial activities were closely linked to Cosa Nostra, and real estate properties were acquired with the proceeds from these businesses. In 2014, the Palermo Court – Prevention Measures Section, following the findings by finance guards, ordered the seizure of the assets linked to Castello.

The confiscated assets include Castello Immobiliare with headquarters at via Terrasanta in Palermo, two branches of Zeus Car on via Messina Marine and Viale Regione Siciliana. Two villas on Viale Regione Siciliana and 3 commercial buildings in Villabate on Via Pomara, Via Giulio Cesare, and Via Walter Tobagi, as well as a commercial building on Via Regione Siciliana in Palermo. Additionally, 15 bank and financial accounts were also seized.