An Italian court has sentenced more than 200 crime gang members to a total of 2,200 years in prison, following the country’s largest mafia trial in three decades.
The trial, commencing in January 2021 within a purpose-built bunker in the southern Italian town of Lamezia Terme, involved a formidable legal spectacle. Over 400 lawyers represented the defendants, and an extensive 900 witnesses provided testimony.
A panel of three judges, who had been deliberating the fate of the 338 accused since the trial’s conclusion on October 16, announced their verdict on Monday. The court took one hour and 40 minutes to deliver the rulings, as reported by the Italian news outlet Ansa.
Out of the accused, 207 mobsters were sentenced, while over 100 were acquitted. The sentences include five life imprisonments and three 30-year terms. Notably, 42 women were among the defendants, setting a record for a mafia trial, with 39 of them facing convictions. crime gang members
The trial showcased defendants with distinctive aliases, such as “The Wolf,” “Fatso,” “Sweetie,” and “Lamb Thigh,” which were captured in around 24,000 wiretaps presented as evidence during the proceedings.
Prominent figures among the convicted include the former Forza Italia lawmaker Giancarlo Pittelli, ex-police chief Giorgio Naselli, former financial police officer Michele Marinaro, ex-mayor Gianluca Callipo, and former regional councilors Luigi Incarnato and Pietro Giamborino, according to the sentencing document obtained by CNN.