(ANSA) - Reggio Emilia, March 23 - A massive trial into
'Ndrangheta mafia infiltration in the northern Emilia Romagna
region opened Wednesday in Reggio Emilia.
The 147 defendants include businessmen, politicians, and
two Chinese nationals arrested in the so-called Aemilia
investigation, which led to the indictments in December 2015.
Among those indicted is former footballer Vincenzo
Iaquinta, who played for Juventus and for the Azzurri when Italy
won the World Cup in 2006. The ex-striker is charged with
illegal weapons possession aggravated by intent to abet mafia
links.
His father Giuseppe Iaquinto faces charges of belonging
to a racketeering mafia ring.
In July last year, police arrested nine people on charges
of fraudulent money transfers with intent to abet mafia
activities as part of the Aemilia probe.
Assets, commercial property and businesses worth a total of
330 million euros were also seized in the bust.
Those arrested are accused of fraudulent money transfers
in support of mafia activities.
In January 2015, the operation saw 117 arrests connected to
Nicolino Grande Aracri, 'Ndrangheta boss of the Grande Aracri
clan, who was already in prison at the time.
Of the remaining eight arrested, Alfonso Diletto, Michele
Bolognino and Giovanni Vecchi were sent to jail, while Domenico
Bolognino, Jessica Diletto, Francesco Spagnolo, Patrizia
Patricelli and Ibrahim Ahmed Abdelgawad were placed under house
arrest.
Today the court heard testimony from defendant Giuseppe
Giglio, a businessman investigators say is among the organizers
of the 'Ndrangheta ring in Emilia Romagna and who faces up to 20
years in prison if convicted.
Giglio has turned State's witness, and has identified
defendant Giuseppe Pagliani, a Reggio Emilia city councillor
from Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) party, as the
political point man for the 'Ndrangheta mafia in the northern
region.
Giglio has stated co-defendant Alfonso Diletto told him
that the racketeering ring was going to be set up with help from
Pagliani - who faces a possible 12 years in prison as an
accessory.
"Diletto told me 'we made a pact with the politician
Pagliani, who is going to give us jobs. In exchange, we have to
find him some votes'," Giglio said in a statement ANSA has seen.
"There was let's say a political pact - one side promising
votes and financing, the other promising jobs in the region, the
province, the city (as well as) a hand in calming down the
prefect, because the prefect was making a bit of a stink (over
anti-mafia injunctions)".
Giglio alleged the pact "did not go forward" because media
coverage had "ruffled a lot of feathers".
Emilia Romagna Governor Stefano Bonaccini and several
mayors attended today's hearing. The region as well as many
Emilia Romagna towns and cities, unions, Legambiente
environmentalist group, and several anti-mafia NGOs have joined
the trial as civil plaintiffs, as did Premier Matteo Renzi's
office, the interior and environment ministries, and the
internal revenue service.
'Aemilia' 'Ndrangheta mafia trial opens
147 defendants include businessmen, politicians, ex-footballer