Milano Justice Fund Scheme to Divert €1 million to ‘Ndrangheta

Italian anti‑mafia prosecutors uncovered a scheme to divert nearly €1 million from the Fondo unico giustizia, a pool of assets seized from criminal organisations, to a convicted associate of the ‘Ndrangheta.

The plan was orchestrated by Domenico Bruno, a former court driver who later became a judicial operator in the Milan Tribunal. Using his access to the court’s administrative systems, Bruno submitted an unauthorised electronic request to Equitalia Giustizia to release €980,000 held in the fund. The money was intended for Massimiliano Richichi, a Reggio Calabria resident previously sentenced for facilitating the fugitive of ‘Ndrangheta boss Domenico Condello.

Prosecutors charged Bruno with fraud against the State, false ideological statements and aggravated mafia facilitation. The irregular request was flagged by Equitalia’s controls, prompting an alert that led Carabinieri to raid Bruno’s office, seize computers and documents, and open a formal investigation by the Direzione distrettuale antimafia of Milan. The case highlights vulnerabilities in the management of confiscated assets and the ongoing threat of organised‑crime infiltration into public financial mechanisms.