Anti-mafia investigators have
confiscated around 400 properties with an overall value of over
100 million euros from Calcedonio Di Giovanni, an entrepreneur
originally from Monreale, near Palermo, but who has business
interests in the neighbouring Sicilian province of Trapani.
The DIA anti-mafia unit's proposal for the assets to be
confiscated on the basis of its investigations was accepted by a
Trapani court.
Di Giovanni, a construction entrepreneur with interests in
the tourism and hotel sectors, had already had his assets seized
in 2014.
While not being formally a member, he is believed to be
close to Cosa Nostra, in particular the Agate clan of Mazara del
Vallo.
Among the assets seized, as well as companies based in San
Marino and London, was the noted tourist village of "Kartibubbo"
on the coast of Campobello di Mazara, which is believed to have
sheltered fugitive mafiosi on several occasions, police said.
The businessman recently allegedly accessed large sums from
the Italian government and the European Union, via fraudulent
mechanisms, involving the Castelvetrano mafia clan in his
business activities, police said.
Police found a glaring discrepancy between his declared
income and his assets, which derived largely from illegal
property deals, fraud, tax dodges, billing non-existent
operations and fake bankruptcy.
The court in Trapani said Di Govannio owed some 60 million
euros in unpaid taxes to authorities.
Di Giovanni was placed under surveillance for three years
and ordered to stay in his place of residence.
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