The Messina Denaro driver: “We arranged meetings with pizzini”

Last Updated: December 13, 2023

During his preliminary hearing for association with the mafia, Giovanni Luppino, the entrepreneur arrested with Messina Denaro on January 16th, requested to be heard by the judge. He is accused of driving the mafia boss around. Initially, Luppino claimed to be unaware of Denaro’s identity but later admitted that he knew. He stated that he continued to drive Denaro to medical treatments for humanitarian reasons, as the boss was gravely ill. However, investigators have found inconsistencies in his story. Luppino denied having a close relationship with Bonafede and his cousin Laura, who is also a supporter of the boss. But it was discovered that Laura had baptized Luppino’s children. The investigation also revealed that Luppino had asked for money from other entrepreneurs, claiming to be an emissary of the mafia boss. Phone records show that he had taken Denaro to the clinic 50 times in two years.