Who Are The ‘Ndrangheta? Hundreds Of Mobsters Convicted From Italian Criminal Group Worth Billions

Topline

Over 200 people were convicted this week for crimes related to the ‘Ndrangheta, the Italian mafia organization that has emerged as one of the most powerful organized crime syndicates in the world, rivaling the better-known Sicilian mob.

Key Facts

Surprising Fact

Among the guilty was former Italian lawmaker Giancarlo Pittelli, a 70-year-old member of ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for working as a “fixer” for the crime syndicate.

Big Number

$72 billion. That’s the estimated net worth of ‘Ngrangheta in 2021, according to a report by Italian financial analysis firm Demoskopika cited by Courthouse News Service. In 2013, Europol, the EU’s chief law enforcement agency, estimated the group made about $44 billion annually.

Crucial Quote

Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock called ‘Ndrangheta a “highly sophisticated” syndicate and “one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the world” when announcing the creation of a special international cooperative task force to combat the organization in 2021.

Key Background

The ‘Ndrangheta are one of Italy’s oldest criminal organizations, forming in the 18th century in Calabria. The organization emerged as one of Italy’s most powerful organized crime syndicates after the intense prosecution of the Sicilian mafia, also known as Cosa Nostra. In recent years, the ‘Ndrangeta have expanded their criminal enterprise into drug trafficking, money laundering, extortion and rigging public contracts, according to Interpol’s ‘Ngrangheta task force. Since the 1980s, the ‘Ndrangheta have amassed a fortune through control of the drug trade in Europe. In 2018, experts estimated ‘Ndrangheta controlled about 80% of all cocaine entering Europe from South America, CNN reported. The control over drugs and arms trade has netted the organization billions in profits. In 2008, Italian research institute Eurispes estimated the syndicate had a turnover of $44 billion, meaning it controlled roughly 3% of Italy’s GDP. According to Europol, the ‘Ndrangheta use their large profits to invest in struggling local businesses. ‘Ndrangheta has spread criminal networks across Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America and Australia. Major busts of ‘Ndrangheta associates have taken place over the last decade in Brooklyn, Lebanon and Brazil.

Tangent

In 1973, the ‘Ndrangheta kidnapped John Paul Getty III, the grandson of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty Sr. The Getty patriarch initially refused to pay the ransom, reportedly saying “I have 14 other grandchildren, and if I pay one penny now I’ll have 14 kidnapped grandchildren.” The billionaire acquiesced when the kidnappers mailed his grandson’s severed ear to a newspaper in Rome. The Getty heir was exchanged for about $2.5 million, which was left in bags on the side of the road in the Calabrian countryside. The story was famously depicted in Ridley Scott’s 2017 film “All the Money in the World” and Danny Boyle’s 2018 FX miniseries “Trust.”