Arena clan members jailed in Calabria after Jonny convictions

Italian Carabinieri from the Isola di Capo Rizzuto station carried out prison orders for four senior figures of the Arena clan—Rosario Lentini, Vincenzo Lentini, Giuseppe Arena (known as “Pino Tropeano”) and Pasquale Arena—who must serve the remaining portions of sentences confirmed by the Court of Cassation.

The arrests stem from “Operation Jonny,” launched in May 2017 by the Direzione Distrettuale Antimafia of Catanzaro under Nicola Gratteri. The investigation uncovered a systematic siphoning of more than €36 million from public funds earmarked for the migrant reception centre (CARA) between 2006 and 2015, as well as a mafia‑controlled monopoly over online betting and slot‑machine operations across Crotone province, accompanied by widespread extortion of local businesses.

The broader operation initially led to 110 arrests and the seizure of assets exceeding €84 million, highlighting the deep infiltration of the ‘Ndrangheta in Calabria’s public‑service contracts and economic activities.