COSENZA An “emerging” but disruptive figure in the Cosenza criminal scene, particularly distinguished in the drug trafficking sector, thanks to his collaborative relationship established over the years with exponents of the powerful ‘ndrangheta Alvaro-Violi gang, with an operational base in Sinopoli, in the Reggio Emilia area. There is also the name of Michele Rende in the “Recovery” maxinvestigation coordinated by the Anti-Mafia District of Catanzaro and the Prosecutor’s Office of Cosenza. The Sinopoli gangs, therefore, but also other gangs in the Reggio area, as well as with exponents of organized crime attributable to powerful Italian families transplanted abroad, in particular in the United States of America.
As had already emerged in other previous investigations, the investigators underline, «Michele Rende (born ’94) is an important element within the Cosenza ‘Ndrangheta», and for this he was arrested. In a 2019 report the justice collaborator speaks of him as «Roberto’s trusted man, so much so that in our field it is known that when Michele Rende shows up it is as if Roberto Porcaro were showing up». Two years later Rende has already climbed various positions in the criminal hierarchical ladder, so much so that as a loyalist of Porcaro he now plays the same role as the clan leader Francesco Patitucci, “and he doesn’t seem willing to stop”, is reported in the investigation documents. In an intercepted conversation – while discussing with a cocaine user – Rende himself “expresses his intention to dive back into the sale of hashish, bringing ‘smoking’ back to the city”. It is October 3, 2020 when he says: «(…) I’m starting to smoke again after five years… since 2015… never touched smoking again… weed… I took it, do you know why? To take on a challenge in Cosenza…”.
The investigators – without his knowledge – monitored his movements and conversations. Like the one with Giuseppe Violi, “intermediary sent by the hashish supplier”. The man, after giving him a 200 gram sample to evaluate its quality. «So… if it’s good… okay… two hundred, how much I told you…» Rende says to Violi who replies: «Do you know how much it costs? One hundred each? (…) so as not to make a bad impression with what I say, I go and tell him…». «If there is, we’ll take it all, at one thirty-five you said… everything… take away I say one thirty-five… five cents…» Rende finally replies.
According to the investigators, therefore, the interlocutors negotiate the price per gram. Rende is ready to pay with the organization’s money and «he evidently shows himself intent on profiting from the deal, skimming over the amount to be paid to the supplier”, the investigators write. And he then adds “if you want I can introduce him to you” referring to the real owner of that sale, that is the man on whose behalf he himself was acting, “to be identified without a shadow of a doubt as Francesco Patitucci” according to the accusation. The deal is not a problem at all for Violi, thanks to the family “backing him”. He himself reminds Rende: «Do you know what you have to tell him Michele? Who has agreements… and you welcome Claudio Maesano’s nephew… tell him this way…”thus revealing his clear belonging to the gang Alvaro-Violi-Macrì of Sinopoli. As reconstructed by the investigators, in fact, the “Claudio Maesano” to whom Violi refers is “Claudio Umberto Maisano, multiple criminal offender, leading exponent of the clan, married to Eufemia Violi, sister of Antonio, the latter father of Giuseppe”.
As can be read in the investigation documents, there is no doubt that Rende himself is negotiating on behalf of Patitucci. «The latter, in fact, a few hours before the meeting with the Alvaro emissary, had gone to Michele Rende’s restaurant – in Piazza Kennedy – in the center of the city of Cosenza». And the dialogue intercepted by the investigators is emblematic: “What should we do?” Patitucci asks Rende who replies: «It depends on how it is… if you throw it to the ground and it comes back…». «You have to deal with it… you have to deal with it… you have to deal with it…» replies the clan leader «as proof of the full trust placed in the young interlocutor», note the investigators and who, in turn, «agrees to close the game in the presence of “those from Rende” or the Di Puppo brothers». ([email protected])
