A Palermo judge on Monday
sentenced six men from the clan of fugitive Mafia boss Matteo
Messina Denaro to a total of 80 years in prison for racketeering
conspiracy and aiding and abetting the Cosa Nostra.
Pietro Giambalvo, Michele Gucciardi, and Domenico 'Mimmo'
Scimonelli - clan treasurer and owner of a supermarket in the
town of Partanna - were sentenced to 17 years each.
Investigators say Scimonelli attempted to approach an
industry ministry official to obtain 700,000 euros in State
financing, and that he often traveled to Switzerland, where
Messina Denaro may be hiding his assets.
Vincenzo Giamabalvo got 13 years, Michele Terranova got 12
years and Giovanni Loretta got four years for aiding and
abetting in the fast-track trial.
The investigation that led to their arrests last year also
resulted in the seizure of 13 million euros in real estate and
businesses located in Castelvetrano, Mazara del Vallo, Partanna,
Salemi, Santa Ninfa and Trapani.
Italian police last month arrested seven people in the
countryside around the Sicilian city of Agrigento in what they
said was a continuation of a "scorched earth" policy aimed at
trapping the elusive head of the Sicilian Mafia.
Police said alleged bosses and accomplices, key parts of a
support network for the fugitive Cosa Nostra chief, held
meetings in the fields, walking around to evade possible
surveillance devices.
Messina Denaro, 53, has not been publicly seen in more than
20 years, but an informant in 2014 helped Italian authorities
update their ideas of the Mafia boss's appearance, including
the fact he no longer wears eyeglasses and his dark hair has
receded.
The Cosa Nostra No.1, whose home fief is in Agrigento, has
been a fugitive since 1993 and according to Interpol he is among
the 10 most wanted criminals in the world.
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