Naples court annuls arrest of businessman in Graziano clan extortion case

Judges from the 12th Section of the Naples Court of Review have annulled the precautionary measure against businessman Nicola Dello Russo. Dello Russo had been detained as part of an investigation into a series of extortions carried out between February and September 2026 in the Vallo di Lauro region.

The investigation, led by the Naples District Anti-Mafia Directorate (Dda) and the Baiano Carabinieri, alleged that Dello Russo acted as an intermediary between a criminal group led by Fiore Graziano and a targeted business. Prosecutors argued that a phone call requesting protection money occurred shortly after a meeting between Dello Russo and Graziano.

Defense attorney Gaetano Aufiero argued that the timing was merely a coincidence and did not prove that Dello Russo provided the company’s contact information. The specific legal reasoning for the annulment is pending the official filing of the judges' motivations. Other suspects in the case are still awaiting judicial validation.