THE DIREZIONE INVESTIGATIVA ANTIMAFIA CONFISCATED ASSETS FROM A PALERMO-BASED ENTREPRENEUR

The Direzione Investigativa Antimafia, within the Department of Public Security, upon the order of the Court in Palermo, Section Preventive Measures, carried out a seizure order against a Palermo-based, 51-year-old entrepreneur operating in the sector of deep-frozen fishery products. The order became final, as the Court of Appeal in Palermo rejected the appeal filed by the affected party.

The assets belonging to the entrepreneur had already been seized between 2013 and 2014, upon a proposal by the Director of the DIA. Subsequently, these were confiscated in 2019, as the Judicial Authority deemed that the facts had been adequately proven  by the officers of the DIA, i.e. that there was nearness to leading figures of “cosa nostra”, and that his entrepreneurial rise was linked to a mixture of interests between mafia and businesses. These facts were  established by statements made by a number of cooperating witnesses, who confirmed that the entrepreneurial activities were achieved with the help and support of “cosa nostra”, in exchange of a sum of money to be transferred regularly or by employing personnel. Thus, year after year, the entrepreneur amassed huge real estate and corporate assets, further increased by acceding to the European Fisheries Fund for Sicily, and by continuously eluding his tax obligations as to his business.

As the judicial order became final, the ownership of his assets was transferred to the State:

• The whole share capital and corporate assets of 5 capital companies in the sectors of fish trade and real estate;
• 13 real estate properties, including apartments, depots and land plots in Palermo, Carini (PA), Trabia (PA), Marsala (TP) and Sciacca (AG);
• The sale price of a real estate, two ships and 1 car;
• bearer pass books, bank accounts, savings deposit, insurance investments and financial resources for an overall estimated value of over 20 million euros.

Palermo, 17.06.2022