Pasquale D'Amico
Encyclopedia
Pasquale D'Amico is a former Italian Camorrista who was a senior member of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata
(NCO), a Camorra
organization in Naples
. His nickname was "'o Cartunaro" (The Cardboard picker). D'Amico defected from the NCO and subsequently became a pentito
in 1983. Among the pentiti, D'Amico was one of the highest ranking due to his position within the NCO. He was the first high ranking NCO informant to reveal Neapolitan crime boss,
Raffaele Cutolo
links with the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta.
on October 24, 1970. He was a santista, i.e., a member of the NCO executive board. He had the power to incorporate new members into the organization, and the autonomy to make important decisions, from the commission of killings to the exploration of new economical ventures. After he was arrested in the early 1980s, he was transferred to Naples' Poggioreale prison where he became the roommate of Raffaele Cutolo. This factor made him the messenger for Cutolo's orders, and was instrumental in propelling him to the top management of the NCO hierarchy.
For instance, when on April 13, 1981, Raffaella Esposito, a ten year old girl from Somma Vesuviana, a small village in the proximity of Ottaviano
was kidnapped, D'Amico warned the kidnappers during an appearance in the courtroom: "Leave her free, or the NCO will kill you." The media reported this warning after the Italian police, who had arrested Giovanni Castiello, a 37 year old factory worker on kidnapping charges, had to release him for lack of evidence. A few months later, the body of Raffaella Esposito was found in a ravine of her village. When word of this spread around, the NCO took upon itself the task to avenge the little girl's murder. Castiello was murdered in the streets of his village. In a telephone call to the Italian press agency ANSA, the NCO proclaimed that Castiello had been found guilty of the kidnapping and had been giustiziato (executed). The tone was eerily similar to that of political terrorist groups in Italy.
, then second-in-command to Cutolo, and he accumulated a wealth of information on the different operations which were managed by the NCO. D'Amico was again arrested at the end of 1981. This time, during a raid on his apartment, police found very sensitive materials on him including a copy of the ritual of initiation, an agenda full of names, letters, money orders receipts, etc., which confirmed the Justice Department's suspicion of his role as a leader. Due to Cutolo's ability to command respect from the penitentiary direction, which until 1982 usually promptly consented to all his requests, D'Amico was sent to the prison on Ascoli Piceno
where he joined the leadership of the NCO.
. Di Matteo was murdered together with his mother, sister and sister-in-law. After this episode, D'Amico wrote a letter to the Neapolitan daily Il Mattino where he expressed his repugnance for the murders of so many innocent victims. However, this letter was read by a warden on the NCO's payroll who advised D'Amico to destroy it, in order to avoid trouble with the leadership at Ascoli Piceno. D'Amico then backed down claiming to have written the letter in a moment of rage.
Also, when Cutolo's influence deteriorated in 1982 and he was relocated to a prison on the island Asinara at the insistence of then Italian president Sandro Pertini, D'Amico began having serious doubts as to the NCO's ability to compete successfully against the NF and the Italian Justice Department. Finally, in the summer of 1983, one of his godsons, Nicola Mazzo, aka "'o Carusiello" (The Cabman) showed him a letter by Cutolo in which Cutolo claimed that he was willing to sacrifice seven of his best men, among them D'Amico, in exchange for a peace treaty with the NF. Astounded by this high level of treachery that was being perpetrated by Cutolo, D'Amico decided to collaborate with Italian Justice on September 27, 1983.
D'Amico's cooperation which came one year later than that of Pasquale Barra
, was viewed by the Justice department as extremely valuable because it enabled the Department to cover the latest period of the NCO's activities, especially its response to the 1983 crackdown by the Italian government. D'Amico would testify against Cutolo and numerous NCO members during the three year long Maxi Trial
s. His testimony along with those of Giovanni Pandico
, Pasquale Barra
, Mario Incarnato, etc. were found reliable and convincing enough to become a significant factor in the convictions of more than 800 defendants. However, many of the pentiti's allegations were proved to be fabrications and several of the convicted defendants were released.
Nuova Camorra Organizzata
The Nuova Camorra Organizzata was an Italian Camorra criminal organization founded in the late 1970s by a Neapolitan Camorrista, Raffaele Cutolo, in the region of Campania. It was also known by the initials NCO...
(NCO), a Camorra
Camorra
The Camorra is a Mafia-type criminal organization, or secret society, originating in the region of Campania and its capital Naples in Italy. It is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating to the 18th century.-Background:...
organization in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. His nickname was "'o Cartunaro" (The Cardboard picker). D'Amico defected from the NCO and subsequently became a pentito
Pentito
Pentito designates people in Italy who, formerly part of criminal or terrorist organizations, following their arrests decide to "repent" and collaborate with the judicial system to help investigations...
in 1983. Among the pentiti, D'Amico was one of the highest ranking due to his position within the NCO. He was the first high ranking NCO informant to reveal Neapolitan crime boss,
Raffaele Cutolo
Raffaele Cutolo
Raffaele Cutolo is an Italian crime boss and the charismatic leader of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata , an organisation he built to renew the Camorra. Cutolo has a variety of nicknames including "'o Vangelo" , "'o Principe" , "'o Professore" and "'o Monaco"...
links with the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta.
Position within the NCO
D'Amico was one of the earliest members of the NCO, ever since its inception in Cutolo's hometown of OttavianoOttaviano
Ottaviano is a comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 20 km east of Naples and is located in the Vesuvian Area. Ottaviano was in Roman times a hamlet of houses within a vast estate belonging to the gens Octavia, Augustus's family...
on October 24, 1970. He was a santista, i.e., a member of the NCO executive board. He had the power to incorporate new members into the organization, and the autonomy to make important decisions, from the commission of killings to the exploration of new economical ventures. After he was arrested in the early 1980s, he was transferred to Naples' Poggioreale prison where he became the roommate of Raffaele Cutolo. This factor made him the messenger for Cutolo's orders, and was instrumental in propelling him to the top management of the NCO hierarchy.
For instance, when on April 13, 1981, Raffaella Esposito, a ten year old girl from Somma Vesuviana, a small village in the proximity of Ottaviano
Ottaviano
Ottaviano is a comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 20 km east of Naples and is located in the Vesuvian Area. Ottaviano was in Roman times a hamlet of houses within a vast estate belonging to the gens Octavia, Augustus's family...
was kidnapped, D'Amico warned the kidnappers during an appearance in the courtroom: "Leave her free, or the NCO will kill you." The media reported this warning after the Italian police, who had arrested Giovanni Castiello, a 37 year old factory worker on kidnapping charges, had to release him for lack of evidence. A few months later, the body of Raffaella Esposito was found in a ravine of her village. When word of this spread around, the NCO took upon itself the task to avenge the little girl's murder. Castiello was murdered in the streets of his village. In a telephone call to the Italian press agency ANSA, the NCO proclaimed that Castiello had been found guilty of the kidnapping and had been giustiziato (executed). The tone was eerily similar to that of political terrorist groups in Italy.
Escape from prison and recapture
In the summer of 1981, D'Amico escaped from prison and joined the executive board of the NCO branch outside prison, which was called Cielo Coperto (open sky). He worked closely with Vincenzo CasilloVincenzo Casillo
Vincenzo Casillo was an Italian Camorrista and the second in command of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata , a Camorra organization in Naples. His nickname was "'o Nirone" .-Second in Command:...
, then second-in-command to Cutolo, and he accumulated a wealth of information on the different operations which were managed by the NCO. D'Amico was again arrested at the end of 1981. This time, during a raid on his apartment, police found very sensitive materials on him including a copy of the ritual of initiation, an agenda full of names, letters, money orders receipts, etc., which confirmed the Justice Department's suspicion of his role as a leader. Due to Cutolo's ability to command respect from the penitentiary direction, which until 1982 usually promptly consented to all his requests, D'Amico was sent to the prison on Ascoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno is a town and comune in the Marche region of Italy, capital of the province of the same name. Its population is c. 51,400.-Geography:...
where he joined the leadership of the NCO.
Becoming a Pentito
According to his later confession to the Justice Department, D'Amico began having his first doubts about the NCO after the murder of Antonio Di Matteo, an NCO member who was planning on switching sides to the rival Camorra clan, Nuova FamigliaNuova Famiglia
The Nuova Famiglia was an Italian Camorra criminal organization created in the 1980s to face Raffaele Cutolo's Nuova Camorra Organizzata....
. Di Matteo was murdered together with his mother, sister and sister-in-law. After this episode, D'Amico wrote a letter to the Neapolitan daily Il Mattino where he expressed his repugnance for the murders of so many innocent victims. However, this letter was read by a warden on the NCO's payroll who advised D'Amico to destroy it, in order to avoid trouble with the leadership at Ascoli Piceno. D'Amico then backed down claiming to have written the letter in a moment of rage.
Also, when Cutolo's influence deteriorated in 1982 and he was relocated to a prison on the island Asinara at the insistence of then Italian president Sandro Pertini, D'Amico began having serious doubts as to the NCO's ability to compete successfully against the NF and the Italian Justice Department. Finally, in the summer of 1983, one of his godsons, Nicola Mazzo, aka "'o Carusiello" (The Cabman) showed him a letter by Cutolo in which Cutolo claimed that he was willing to sacrifice seven of his best men, among them D'Amico, in exchange for a peace treaty with the NF. Astounded by this high level of treachery that was being perpetrated by Cutolo, D'Amico decided to collaborate with Italian Justice on September 27, 1983.
D'Amico's cooperation which came one year later than that of Pasquale Barra
Pasquale Barra
Pasquale Barra is a former Italian Camorrista who was a senior member and hitman for the Nuova Camorra Organizzata , a Camorra organization in Naples. Barra has the distinction of being the first NCO member to become a pentito, when he decided to collaborate with Italian Justice in 1982.Barra...
, was viewed by the Justice department as extremely valuable because it enabled the Department to cover the latest period of the NCO's activities, especially its response to the 1983 crackdown by the Italian government. D'Amico would testify against Cutolo and numerous NCO members during the three year long Maxi Trial
Maxi Trial
The Maxi Trial was a criminal trial that took place in Sicily during the mid-1980s that saw hundreds of defendants on trial convicted for a multitude of crimes relating to Mafia activities, based primarily on testimony given in as evidence from a former boss turned informant...
s. His testimony along with those of Giovanni Pandico
Giovanni Pandico
Giovanni Pandico is a former Italian Camorrista who was a member of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata , a Camorra organization in Naples. Pandico rose to become one of Camorra boss, Raffaele Cutolo's underwriters within the organization. After twelve years of imprisonment, he decided to collaborate...
, Pasquale Barra
Pasquale Barra
Pasquale Barra is a former Italian Camorrista who was a senior member and hitman for the Nuova Camorra Organizzata , a Camorra organization in Naples. Barra has the distinction of being the first NCO member to become a pentito, when he decided to collaborate with Italian Justice in 1982.Barra...
, Mario Incarnato, etc. were found reliable and convincing enough to become a significant factor in the convictions of more than 800 defendants. However, many of the pentiti's allegations were proved to be fabrications and several of the convicted defendants were released.