Italian police search homes of former doctor Francesco Burrafato in Messina Denaro probe

Carabinieri of the ROS carried out a series of searches at the residence and related properties of Francesco Burrafato, an 85‑year‑old former director of the Castelvetrano hospital. The investigations, coordinated by the Palermo prosecutor’s office under Maurizio de Lucia, aim to uncover evidence that Burrafato, identified by investigators as the mysterious “Parmigiano” mentioned in seized messages (“pizzini”) of mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, helped finance and support the boss during his decades of evasion.

The searches, which included a home in Castelvetrano and a property in Sant’Anna near Casa Santa Erice, were conducted with the presence of fire‑brigade units and excavation equipment to investigate a garden site. Investigators cite a note in which Denaro allegedly requested a €40,000 loan from “Parmigiano,” to be repaid in installments, prompting prosecutors to probe possible financial links between the former doctor and Cosa Nostra. The inquiry remains ongoing as authorities seek documentation and other material that could clarify the extent of Burrafato’s alleged involvement.