Commission Charbonneau – Dangerous Liaisons in the construction

Six construction contractors have pointed Tuesday as part of the work of the commission Charbonneau for attending the Montreal mafia headquarters.

It comes to Frank Catania, Catania Construction company and two of its leaders are accused in the Faubourg Contrecoeur real estate scandal. by Domenico Arcuri, Construction Mirabeau, who participated in a financing activity of the liberal party of Quebec; Tony Magi, a former business partner of Rizzuto, Nicolo grandson; Michael Argento, Paramount’s Paving; Nicolò Maung, construction Mivela; and Accursio Sciascia, paving ATG.

These names appear in an array of attendance of the social club, Cosenza, recognized as being the headquarters of the Rizzuto clan, presented by corporal Vinicio Sebastiano of the joint RCMP organized crime investigation unit. Mr. Sebastiano was assigned to the wiretaps to the Colosseum anti-mafia operation. The document also inventory the comings and goings at the bar Laennec Laval, gathering place for Deputy Heads of the Sicilian mafia.

To properly mark the importance of this information, Mr. Sebastiano indicated that these entrepreneurs ‘were not there by chance”. In fact, the Cosenza was the Mecca of the decisions for the criminal activities of the family. It was also the point fall for the money. Profits were deposited there (with bags of groceries or brown bags) and shared.

Wednesday, another witness for the RCMP will provide video of entrepreneurs coming to pay their due to the heads of the mafia.

The Cosenza was patronized by the six heads of the Rizzuto clan fell in 2006 in the wake of Colosseum. The decisions that were taken were relayed to the people (of the clan of Francesco Arcadi) who attended the Laennec.

These two mafia hideouts have been on listening and video surveillance for four years. Accordingly, Frank Catania was seen 19 times at Cosenza, while Mr. Milioto attended 236 times.

In total, the RCMP has recorded 1.8 million conversations in 14 languages, including dialects such as the Sicilian. Videos total 35 040 hours. The Colisée resulted 1340 charges.

But the world of construction was not at the heart of the investigative work. By its mandate, the commission Charbonneau will focus to this component. Thus, the RCMP is committed yesterday to unravel the list of 135 regular visitors of the Cosenza and the Laennec to check if there are individuals associated with the construction industry, particularly on the side of consulting engineering firms.

Loss of speed of the Sicilian clan

Earlier in the day, the Charbonneau commission heard the testimony of Linda Féquière, analyst with the RCMP, which confirmed the loss of speed of the Sicilian mafia for the benefit of the Calabrian.

«Around of 2006, 2007, there is really the decline of the clan Rizzuto.» «Is not only the Rizzuto clan, who began to lose its magnitude, it is more generally, and Sicilian mafia, not only in Montreal, in Quebec and in North America, but everywhere in the world where they are located, the Sicilian mafia starts to decline», said Ms. Féquière.

Police investigations in several countries are for something, as well as laws antimafia, advance the police. “What can explain this decline, is that in the past 50 years, there were several investigations that have targeted mainly the Sicilian mafia,” said corporal Sam.

In Quebec, Cotroni and Violi clan ruled from 1940 to 1970. Then the Rizzuto clan has made her place, before declining in turn since 2006-2007, including the Colosseum police operation that has decimated it, she testified.

The Ndrangheta, a mafia of Calabrian origin, grew up in the shadow of the Sicilian mafia, reported Ms. Féquière. She stressed however that the Sicilian clan has not completely lost its influence.

In evidence, Vinicio Sebastiano, also of RCMP Corporal, Vito Rizzuto, even during his imprisonment in the United States since 2006, continued to communicate with “people of the organization.

In the world, the Ndrangheta’s turnover was estimated at EUR 44 billion in 2008, of which 30 billion from the drug trafficking. The turnover of the Cosa Nostra reached 30 billion euros at the same time.

Ms. Féquière said that the Italian mafia is active in several legitimate industries, such as construction, cafes and bars, private security, the restoration and sale of construction including materials.

***

Visitors to the mafia

Six entrepreneurs marched to Cosenza, high place of the Montreal mafia, between 2001 and 2006:
Francesco Catania, Construction Frank Catania (19 visitors);
Domenico Arcuri, building Mirabeau (45 visitors);
Michel Argento, associated with Paramount Paving (5 visits);
Tony Magi, associated with the grandson of Nicolo Rizzuto (1 visit);
Nicolò Maung, of Construction Mivela (236 visits);
Accursio Sciascia, of Pavage ATG (37 visits).

***

With the Canadian Press

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