The Rinaldi clan is a Camorra clan operating in the area of San Giovanni a Teduccio, in the eastern area of the city of Naples. Since 2019 the clan has formed an alliance with the Ponticelli's De Luca Bossa clan, and Barra's Aprea-Cuccaro clan, called by the media Rinaldi-De Luca Bossa-Aprea, which has emerged as the most powerful Camorra group in the eastern region of Naples.[1]
| Founded | 1989 |
|---|---|
| Founding location | Rione Villa, San Giovanni a Teduccio |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Territory | San Giovanni a Teduccio Infiltration in Somma Vesuviana |
| Leader(s) | Ciro Rinaldi (My way) |
| Criminal activities | Murder, extortion, drug trafficking, racketeering, counterfeit |
| Allies | Secondigliano Alliance Contini clan Giuliano clan De Luca Bossa clan Aprea-Cuccaro clan |
| Rivals | Mazzarella clan |
History
editThe Rinaldi clan was founded in 1989 from the split of the Mazzarella clan. The clan from the beginning was marked by great blood ties between its leaders, their leadership was conventional, strong and imposing. The first head of the clan was Antonio Rinaldi, known as 'O Giallo, boss with great criminal capabilities and killed in 1989 by order of Gennaro Mazzarella. After the death of 'O Giallo, his brother Vincenzo took the reins of the clan. Leader of considerable criminal charisma, Vincenzo was killed in 1996, after an escalation of violence between the Rinaldi and Mazzarella clans. And the other brother, Gennaro, called 'O lione, replaced him at the head of the organization. Between the years 1996 and 2009, the clan was heavily active in the international counterfeiting market. To coordinate the group's affairs, the top members of the organization moved abroad. This absence of the leaders on the territory has made the group extremely vulnerable to the constant attempts of other clans, in the eastern area of Naples, to expand their territories.[2]
The organization only strongly recovered in the territory of San Giovanni a Teduccio, when Ciro Rinaldi, called My way, took control of the clan in the 2010s. In fact, the clan reached its peak in 2017 and 2018, having created small factions in other parts of the city, one led by Luigi Esposito called "o’ sciamarro", and another controlled by Luisa De Stefano, called "La pazzignana" in the Rione De Gasperi, Ponticelli. Ciro Rinaldi, according to the investigators, has a cynical strategist's mind and the typical liveliness of the ruthless criminal.[3]
Recent years
edit
According to the pentito Vincenzo Amirante, the Rinaldi clan made a pact with the leaders of the so-called Paranza dei bambini, even before it was headed by the Giuliano's heirs, the main objective of the pact was to eliminate the Mazzarella clan and take the area of the Maddalena, in the center of Naples.[4]
The clan is allied with the powerful Secondigliano Alliance, decisive in making the Rinaldi one of the most powerful clans in the Camorra. After the strong pact with the Secondigliano Alliance leaders, they had quickly gained a monopoly on the sale of marijuana in the eastern outskirts of the city.[5]
The clan has made a strong alliance with the De Luca Bossa clan and the Aprea-Cuccaro clan, which since the beginning of 2019 has been a hegemon in much of the eastern area of the city of Naples.[6]
On 16 February 2019, Ciro Rinaldi, the leader of the organization, was arrested in San Pietro a Patierno.[7] On 18 September 2019, Rinaldi was sentenced to life imprisonment for the double murder of Ciro Colonna, hit by mistake, and for Raffaele Cepparulo, boss of the "barbudos" faction of the Rione Sanità.[8]
In December 2019 the first statements by the newly pentito Tommaso Schisa on the dynamics of the Rinaldi clan were reported in the media, shedding light on the murder of Vincenzo De Bernardo. According to Schisa, De Bernardo was killed for violating the pact on the drugs business with the leaders of the Piezzo group, but above all, with the boss Ciro Rinaldi.[9][10]
In February 2020 four members affiliated to the clan were arrested, among which are also Rita and Francesco Rinaldi, sons of the late boss 'O Giallo, as well nephews of Ciro Rinaldi.[11] They are accused of usury, extortion and attempted extortion with the aggravating circumstance of the mafia method.[12]
Structure
edit- Ciro Rinaldi, called My way. — Head of the clan. Arrested in February 2019 and sentenced to life in prison.
- Sergio Grassia, called Sergiolino. — Rinaldi's right-hand man. Arrested in June 2019.[13]
- Raffaele Oliviero, called o pop. — Capoparanza. Arrested in June 2019.[14]
- Ciro Grassia – Capoparanza. Arrested in May 2019.[15]
- Raffaele Maddaluno, called nzalatella. — Capoparanza. Surrendered to law enforcement in February 2019.[16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Camorra Ponticelli, lo chiamano "il nuovo clan" egemone, ma in realtà di nuovo non c'è nulla – Napolitan.it" (in Italian). 28 June 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ Allum, The Invisible Camorra: Neapolitan Crime Families Across Europe, pp.68–70–72.
- ^ "Ecco come il boss Ciro Rinaldi è riuscito a conquistare Napoli est da latitante – Napolitan.it" (in Italian). 17 January 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ Redazione (18 October 2019). "Il patto tra la paranza dei bambini e il clan Rinaldi per prendersi la Maddalena". Stylo24 – Giornale d'inchiesta (in Italian). Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ Bitonto, Stefano Di (20 September 2019). "Erba dai Contini e dai torresi, così i Reale-Rinaldi avevano conquistato le piazze". InterNapoli.it (in Italian). Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ "Camorra Ponticelli, lo chiamano "il nuovo clan" egemone, ma in realtà di nuovo non c'è nulla – Napolitan.it" (in Italian). 28 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ "Omicidi, bombe e stese: arrestato il super boss Rinaldi". www.ilmattino.it (in Italian). Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ "Napoli, ergastolo al boss Rinaldi per l'agguato nel circolo: uccise il capo dei Barbudos e una vittima innocente". www.ilmattino.it (in Italian). Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ "Camorra, oltre 4 secoli di carcere per i gruppi 'Mazzarelliani' dei comuni Vesuviani e i Minichini di Ponticelli. TUTTE LE CONDANNE". Cronache della Campania (in Italian). 24 July 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ "Omicidio nel clan Mazzarella, il super pentito Schisa contro tutti: ecco i verbali inediti". Roma. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ "Camorra, quattro arresti a Napoli: in cella la moglie e il figlio del boss per usura e minacce". www.ilmattino.it (in Italian). Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ Redazione (12 February 2020). "Usura ed estorsione, arrestati i nipoti del boss Ciro Rinaldi". Stylo24 – Giornale d'inchiesta (in Italian). Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ "Latitanti del clan Rinaldi arrestati al mare". NapoliToday (in Italian). Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ Redazione (9 June 2019). "La giornata al mare si chiude con le manette ai polsi per i latitanti del clan". Stylo24 – Giornale d'inchiesta (in Italian). Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ "Camorra, Ciro Grassia del clan Rinaldi preso ad Acerra: "tradito" dai viaggi della moglie". Napoli Fanpage (in Italian). Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ Bitonto, Stefano Di (28 February 2019). "Il latitante del clan Rinaldi si arrende, arrestato il colonnello del boss My Way". InterNapoli.it (in Italian). Retrieved 23 March 2020.