Nastasi part of Messina Denaro's entourage, Milan prosecutor

(ANSA) - Milan, January 20 - Entrepreneur Giuseppe Nastasi, who is on trial over his alleged ties to the Mafia, "was part of the entourage" of fugitive Cosa Nostra No. 1 Matteo Messina Denaro, Milan anti-Mafia prosecutor Paolo Storari said Friday.
    Storari, a State attorney with the DDA anti-mafia department in Milan, asked for a nine-year jail term for Nastasi in an ongoing fast-track trial in Milan.
    Nastasi, the head of a consortium of cooperatives, is on trial with another six defendants over alleged Mafia infiltrations at the Milan Expo and Milan trade fair companies.
    The State attorney said the entrepreneur offered his services to the closest aides of the reputed mobster together with Liborio Pace, who is also charged of aiding Cosa Nostra infiltrate contracts for Expo 2015.
    The Milan trade fair company and its controlled company Nolostand, as plaintiffs in the trial, have demanded that the seven defendants including Nastasi pay 800,000 euros in damages.
    The city of Milan has also asked for one million euros in compensation.
    Messina Denaro, 53, has been on the lam since 1993.
    Interpol has said the Cosa Nostra leader is among the 10 most wanted criminals in the world.
    Italian police have repeatedly said in recent years they are closing in on him.
    photo: Messina Denaro