# Italian criminal investigations and organized crime trials

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/italian-criminal-investigations-and-organized-crime-trials
> Updated: 2026-10-21T18:40:45.000Z. Sources: 25. Developments: 5.

Italian judicial and investigative efforts continue to address both historical criminal cases and modern organized crime operations. Investigations into the ‘Mostro di Firenze’ murders of 1984 have been re-examined in journalist Angelo Barraco’s book, ‘La Boschetta’, which utilizes investigative documents to explore contradictions in the official inquiry regarding victims Pia Rontini and Claudio Stefanacci.

Authorities have also mapped the activities of the Lo Bianco-Barba ‘Ndrangheta clan in Vibo Valentia through operations such as ‘Nuova Alba’, ‘The Goodfellas’, and ‘Insomnia’. These investigations have linked the group to provincial criminal coordination and a 1993 murder.

In the Hydra trial in Milan, collaborator Francesco Bellusci, known as ‘Occhi Celesti’, has testified regarding ‘Ndrangheta operations in Lombardy, specifically in Legnano, Lonate Pozzolo, and Gallarate. Bellusci detailed how the organization maintains ancient rituals and hierarchies while modernizing financial operations in international hubs like London, Miami, and Switzerland, noting that religious symbols are increasingly avoided to evade detection.

In Catanzaro, prosecutors have requested a trial for three individuals—including Cutro boss Nicolino Grande Aracri and Salvatore Abbruzzo—concerning the 2013 double homicide of Giuseppe Bruno and Caterina Raimondi in Squillace. The murders were allegedly ordered during a criminal summit to resolve a territorial feud between the Bruno and Catarisano clans. 

Additionally, the Glicine trial in Crotone has seen prosecutors request prison sentences for 96 defendants, including former Calabria Region President Mario Oliverio and several others, targeting a political-business network allegedly tied to the Megna clan. 

In other matters, a prosecutor in Carovigno requested a trial for three men following an attempted robbery of a Cosmopol armored van, while in Ferrara, the trial of former nurse Matteo Nocera regarding the homicide of Antonio Rivola has commenced.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-21: Crotone prosecutors seek prison terms in Glicine trial

Italian prosecutors have requested prison sentences for former Calabria President Mario Oliverio and others in the Glicine trial, involving alleged ties between politics, business, and the Megna 'ndrangheta.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/crotone-prosecutors-seek-prison-terms-in-glicine-trial

### 2026-10-12: Antimafia prosecutors request trial for 'ndrangheta leaders in 2013 double murder

Italian prosecutors have requested a trial for 'ndrangheta figures Nicolino Grande Aracri, Salvatore Abbruzzo, and Sandro Ielapi for the 2013 double murder of Giuseppe Bruno and Caterina Raimondi.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/antimafia-prosecutors-request-trial-for-ndrangheta-leaders-in-2013-double-murder

### 2026-09-30: Italy: Prosecutors seek trials for armored car robbery and 'Ndrangheta murder

Italian prosecutors seek trials for a group involved in a Carovigno armored car robbery attempt and several 'Ndrangheta members accused of a 2000 mafia execution.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italy-prosecutors-seek-trials-for-armored-car-robbery-and-ndrangheta-murder

### 2026-09-16: Milan and Ferrara courts oversee major criminal trials

In Milan, collaborator Francesco Bellusci details ’Ndrangheta’s financial evolution in the Hydra trial, while in Ferrara, the homicide trial of nurse Matteo Nocera begins.

10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/salvatore-maggio-details-criminal-alliances-in-naples

### 2026-09-14: Italian criminal investigations focus on Firenze murders and 'Ndrangheta activity

Recent reports cover investigative work into the 'Mostro di Firenze' killings and the judicial history of the 'Ndrangheta's Lo Bianco-Barba clan in Vibo Valentia.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italian-criminal-investigations-focus-on-firenze-murders-and-ndrangheta-activity

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Cite as: Italian criminal investigations and organized crime trials. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/italian-criminal-investigations-and-organized-crime-trials