MILAN “…a Roman horse legwhere the company is formed you have to sit with five twigs in his right hand and with five in the left hand with words of silence this honored society is formed!». «…forms the society of the invisible mountain of gold and silver stick with the society at the head of the crime boss ‘ndrina… do you know who he is? It is in the name of our Holy Most Holy Annunziata, the company…”. Apparently meaningless phrases, words and formulas of archaic rites, foundations of an ‘Ndrangheta that seems very distant in time. It resurfaced, however, in a dialogue that the investigators of the Milan Anti-Mafia District managed to intercept, providing an exceptional investigative opportunity.
It was formulated by Salvatore Giacobbe, the “historical” face of theMilanese ndrina at the center of the recent investigation which, on the orders of the investigating judge, led to the arrest of 14 subjects. It is February 16, 2020 and the alleged boss is – as always – at “Baldassarre Café” when he explains to Giovanni Caridi, another suspect in the investigation, “formulas and rituals”, the investigating judge writes in the order but he also learns of the recent release from prison of Mimmo Paviglianiti. «Mimmo Paviglianiti is out too!» one of those present then says. «And then Santi told me ah! Because Livio didn’t stop by at all!» Jacob replies, «but is it down there? Or here? As his brother? he asks then. “Good boy! I’m happy he’s out!’ Then the man explains to him again: «Santo told me “Tonino, when you want to come, come with Mimmo, he knows where he is…” “We can go to Santo and then with Santo to say hello… it seems bad to me to go empty-handed…”.
As the investigating judge reports in the order, “Mimmo” is to be understood as Domenico Paviglianiti, «multi-homicidal boss linked to the De Stefano gang who, when he was extradited from Spain, the latter asked not to condemn him since the country did not provide for life imprisonment at that time.” The group continues to discuss various events, all reported in the order signed by the investigating judge: they talk about a bar in Gioia Tauro, a small street that passes right in front of a house owned by Salvatore Giacobbe. But the latter “suddenly recites a rite of the ‘ndrangheta”, notes the investigating judge, amusing those present in a certain way. «(…) knows them all!» says Caridi «(…) yes, but these are old things that you know! To keep them in mind… and then there’s some eh! A lot!». But Jacob doesn’t stop: «(…) forms the society of the invisible mountain of gold and silver stick with the society at the head of the crime boss ‘ndrina… do you know who he is?» he asks, «it is in the name of our Holy Most Holy Annunziata, the society». It’s still: “(…) when they form “the stiddi”… when they form the leaders of the ‘Ndrangheta… they divide the countries… when they form them, they form all the tips… they call them ‘ndrine… it’s still like that today!”. At this point Caridi becomes curious: «The “picciotto” is the first step, right?» and Jacob echoes him: «a man of honor is one who was not the son of the scoundrel… his father was a scoundrel and his grandfather was also a scoundrel… he was a “Contrast” …».
READ ALSO: ‘Ndrangheta in Milan, the logic of the boss linked to the Piromalli: «Are you asking for my help? Then I’ll take your company.”
As the investigating judge still reports in the order, Giacobbe’s momentum does not stop and, on the contrary, he continues to recite another ‘Ndrangheta ritual. «… I would cut my heart, I don’t know how to talk, about our distant dreams… and you know it… our blood mate… the word was that the… thing got dark, right? Like a card!”. And again: «… in front of me look what I found in this place… as a child, but look at things… then the Court decides and gives him 15 days, 20 days, a month…». During the conversation Jacob almost justifies himself for having forgotten some passages and, above all, it talks about a sort of “book”. «… me now because I’m no longer trained but now as soon as training gets in my head… I don’t remember where it is… it’s hidden… I gave it to Enzo… who had hidden it… I don’t remember… he has the place”. And again: «… then all the rules that… the rules that I had… that I knew and that gradually throughout my life others also told…». Speaking of the mysterious book, evidently inside there are a series of rites and “rules” of the ‘Ndrangheta because, as the investigating judge reports in the order, Caridi says: «… I read it and hide it then… and then I give it back to you…» and Jacob replies again: «He also explains to you how… but for everything there is something… when you get up from the chair, when you don’t get up, when you come in yes! Then maybe someone knows each other for sure… that’s fine… but every now and then they ask themselves to come in, not to come in…”.
For the investigating judge, therefore, the intercepted conversation «not only contains self-indicting statements, but is valid for its absolute clarity in delineating more than the nature, that which it could be defined as the same mafia “essence” of the group». From what has emerged, in fact, it is not a question of «a group of Calabrians transferred to the north who, in crime, simply want to emulate or mimic the attitudes and methods of the bosses of their homeland» notes the investigating judge in the order, but it is a question of subjects who «they have culturally internalized and shared that entire core of rules and rituals of the deepest and most traditional ‘Ndrangheta» which constitutes the very basis on which the Jacobs «have solidly built – and above all maintained – both the internal hierarchies of their own criminal structure and, and not secondarily, the “external” relationships and hierarchies with other criminal groups». ([email protected])
