Pasquale Condello
Encyclopedia
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
criminal known as a member of the 'Ndrangheta. He is also known as "Il supremo" ("the supreme one") for his role at the top of the crime syndicate. He was a fugitive since 1990 and included in the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy until his capture in February 2008. Investigators called him the "Provenzano of Calabria" – a reference to Bernardo Provenzano
Bernardo Provenzano
Bernardo Provenzano is a member of the Sicilian Mafia and is suspected of having been the head of the Corleonesi, a Mafia faction that originated in the village of Corleone, and de facto capo di tutti capi of the entire Sicilian Mafia until his arrest in 2006.His nickname is Binnu u tratturi...
, the Sicilian "boss of bosses" who was arrested in 2006 after some 40 years as a fugitive.
Criminal career
Paolo De Stefano
Paolo De Stefano was a member of the 'Ndrangheta who became the undisputed boss of Reggio Calabria. Together with his brothers Giovanni, Giorgio and Orazio he headed the De Stefano 'ndrina.-Early years:...
, the undisputed boss of Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
, who was the best man at his wedding.
Condello was probably involved in the killing of the historical and charismatic 'Ndrangheta boss Antonio Macrì
Antonio Macrì
Antonio Macrì , popularly known as Zzi 'ntoni, was a historical and charismatic boss of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organisation in Calabria, Italy...
from Siderno
Siderno
Siderno is a town and comune located in Calabria, Italy about 3 kilometres from Locri.Siderno Marina is the newer town located on the Ionian coast. It is popular with both Italian and foreign tourists and has a bathing beach....
– who tried to stop the crime syndicate drifting into kidnapping and drug running and opposed the establishment of the Santa – on January 20, 1975. According to a state witness, Condello was one of his 'executioners'. The murder unleashed a battle for the 'Ndrangheta's soul that cost some 300 lives, including Domenico Tripodo
Domenico Tripodo
Domenico Tripodo was an Italian criminal and a historical and charismatic boss of the 'Ndrangheta dominating the city of Reggio Calabria and the surrounding areas...
, the historical boss of Reggio. At the end of the conflict De Stefano was the new leader of Reggio Calabria 'Ndrangheta.
Second 'Ndrangheta war
A second 'Ndrangheta war was triggered by the marriage between Giuseppina Condello – the sister of the Condello brothers, underbosses of De StefanoDe Stefano 'ndrina
The De Stefano 'ndrina is one of the most powerful clans of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organisation in Calabria, Italy. The 'ndrina hailed from the Archi neighbourhood in Reggio Calabria. Several of its members were included in the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy...
– and Antonio Imerti
Antonio Imerti
Antonio Imerti , also known as "Nanu feroce" , is an Italian criminal and a member of the 'Ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia...
, the leader of a neighbouring 'ndrina in Villa San Giovanni
Villa San Giovanni
Villa San Giovanni is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria, southern Italy. As of 2010 its population was of 13,747.-Geography:...
. The conflict exploded in 1985, two years after the marriage and saw practically all the ‘ndrine in the city of Reggio Calabria grouped into either one of two opposing factions. De Stefano had become fearful of the new alliance that might challenge his power base. A failed attempt on Antonio Imerti triggered the murder of Paolo De Stefano on October 13, 1985. His brothers Paolo and Domenico Condello
Domenico Condello
Domenico Condello , also known as Micu u pacciu, is an Italian criminal belonging to the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal organisation in Calabria.-Criminal history:...
were arrested in January 1988 for killing De Stefano, for which Pasquale has been charged as well.
The bloody six-year war between the Condello-Imerti clan and De Stefano allied with the Tegano clan left 600 deaths. The conflict was settled with the help of other 'Ndrangheta bosses. Antonio Nirta
Antonio Nirta
Antonio Nirta is a boss of the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type organization in Calabria . Together with his brothers Giuseppe, Francesco and Sebastiano, he ruled San Luca, a stronghold of the 'Ndrangheta.-'Ndrangheta in San Luca:...
, head of the San Luca
San Luca
San Luca is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 100 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 35 km east of Reggio Calabria. The town is situated on the eastern slopes of the Aspromonte mountain, in the valley of the Bonamico river...
locale vouched for the De Stefanos, while Antonio Mammoliti vouched for the Condello-Imerti clan. Condello became a member of La Provincia, a provincial commission of the 'Ndrangheta formed at the end of the war in September 1991, to avoid further internal conflicts.
Criminal enterprise
Condello is accused of running a network of extortion and kickbacks on public works contracts, as well as having gotten control of contracts worth hundreds of millions of euros to build water purifiers in some Calabrian towns. He is regarded as a key figure in trafficking cocaine between Colombia and Italy. He has been sentenced in absentia to four life prison terms - plus another 22 years in jail - for murder, mafia association, extortion, money laundering and drug-related offences, including the killing of Lodovico LigatoLodovico Ligato
Lodovico Ligato was an Italian Christian Democrat politician from Reggio Calabria and the former head of the Italian State Railways...
, a Christan Democrat
Christian Democracy (Italy)
Christian Democracy was a Christian democratic party in Italy. It was founded in 1943 as the ideological successor of the historical Italian People's Party, which had the same symbol, a crossed shield ....
politician and former head of the Italian State Railways in 1989.
Arrested in 1988, he jumped a US$100,000 bail in 1990 after being let out of prison under leniency rules which have since been changed. In March 1993, he was arrested together with his brother-in-law and alleged superior boss Antonio Imerti. However, newspaper reports already mentioned that Condello might have surpassed his former boss – and speculated that he might have killed Imerti when they both were still fugitives. He managed to get released from detention again and became a fugitive.
Arrest
On February 18, 2008, Condello was captured in a major operation involving over 100 policemen who converged on an apartment in the district of Occhio di Péllaro, on the outskirts of Reggio CalabriaReggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
. Although he was armed he did not resist arrest and “behaved like a true, old-style boss”, ordering his underlings to hold their fire. He was taken into custody without a struggle, police said. He had been trailed for days and was found in the company of his son-in-law and a nephew.
Investigators said that Condello had remained in his native Reggio Calabria throughout his time on the run and from there ran his gang’s operations not only in Calabria but also in Rome and other Italian cities. According to police sources, Condello owns real estate and businesses worth more than 54 million euros in Rome and other Italian cities.
Family life
He is married with Maria Morabito and has three children: two daughters, Angela and Caterina, and a son Domenico Francesco. Caterina Condello married Daniele Ionetti, the son of Alfredo Ionetti, considered to be the treasurer of the clan.External links
- Mob boss caught in Italy, video of Reuters, February 20, 2008 Sulle tracce di Iannò: La famiglia del braccio destro del superlatitante Condello, by Monica Centofante, Antimafia Duemila nr 28, January 2003 In manette "Il Supremo", by Monica Centofante, Antimafia Duemila nr 57, Anno VIII° Numero 1, March 2008