Coronavirus, the mafia plans to exploit the emergency: “Support for families in difficulties, search for companies in crisis and maneuvers to defraud even with public aid. State delays? The clans take advantage of it”

“With the emergency, the social danger of the suspects must be reevaluated” – But not only. Because apart from the traffic of drug, the coffee business, of the rigged horse racing and of slot machines, the judge indicates that there are some circumstances that have “effects on the social risk assessmentOf the suspects. Elements that may lead to “reiterating serious illegal conduct capable of producing a serious contamination for the economy of certain territories“And these are circumstances” that occurred “subsequently” compared to the time of the formulation of the precautionary requests by the prosecutor. “In practice, compared to when the prosecutor presented his request, a situation occurred that makes that it is even more likely that it amplifies the social danger of the suspects, with the risk that they will continue committing the crimes if they are released. coronavirus. “In the past – read the maps – the sectors traditionally affected in the center-north by the mafia contagion They were the cycle of construction and cement, as well as the elimination of waste and the tourist chain. However the crisis caused by coronavirus, could lead certain particularly ductile criminal groups to explore as well less traveled areas which can now be very profitable, like healthcare, which is already interested in Lombardy of judicial investigations. “

The clan’s project: “The Northern economy is also at risk” – Morosini devotes an entire paragraph of his order to the economic and social consequences of the Covid-19 emergency and the “danger of repeat crimes of the same type.” And it draws how Cosa nostra can implement a well-structured project to exploit the emergence of the coronavirus. A drawing that follows three parallel channels: Economical support for daily needs in families in crisis, to re-cultivate social consensus, Hunting open to small and medium-sized companies in great difficulty, first with loans to usury and then directly take over the companies that come from the clean economy, and finally the big cake of the public aid paid precisely to stop the economic emergency. In the background also the delay of economic support from the state small economic operators, due to long bureaucratic procedures, which turn into assistance for the mafia. Unlike the state bureaucracy, in fact, Cosa Nostra is “capable of guaranteeing quick and concrete interventions that are susceptiblethen to translate into forms of money laundering or capital reuse. “But be careful. Because not only southern Italy exists at risk.” According to the most accredited experts – recalls the investigating judge – the reflections of the measures to contain the pandemic they also make you feel their weight economic realities of central and northern Italy, with the relative danger of aggression from the mafia capitals. From investigations carried out in recent years by northern prosecutors, it has emerged that where mafia groups include stable settlements, to the satisfaction of some professionals, they are successful in segments of institutions and indigenous entrepreneurs, to invest in companies that suffer from situations in which liquidity crises occur ”. But let’s go in order.

Hunting open to companies in crisis – The judge’s alert for preliminary investigations is detailed. “It is foreseeable that, in the coming weeks, certain ‘criminal outposts’ will open the hunt to the many companies in need Also in the north of Italyas it is not expected to return to normal in a short time. “A case that affects the possibility of recurrence of crimes: the danger represented by Cosa Nostra has practically increased with the outbreak of the coronavirus emergency. The reason? magistrate explicitly speaks of “economic and social repercussions of the recent adoption of the containment measures of Covid-19 that have resulted in the suspension of a large part of the activities of companies and businesses. “Just these days, he explains,” the social distancing measures for the containment of the epidemic are also determining Palermo territory (particularly in the districts with the greatest socioeconomic difficulties, including Arenella and Acquasanta) and, in general, in the national territory, a very favorable context for the plans of the criminal association“

The Cosa Nostra plan: food for the poor and more social consensus – What kind of plans? “On the one hand, the order is always read, the current condition of dire need (even from daily food) of many people without stable employment, or with a job in the clandestine economy, can favor forms of prodromal gangster help to recruit new followers. “It is direct help to neighborhoods and villages, where many families have been hit hard by emergency shutdown. If you couldn’t make ends meet before, today I’m completely on my knees. This is where the “possible” comes from. forms of mafia support to families and people in need, who cannot afford to buy daily food, with a view to recruiting a new one adepts leverage or, in any case, of supporters of the criminal organization. “And the social consent, the first historian who promoted the very idea of ​​the mafia: without the favor of certain strata of society there would never have been a Cosa Nostra. A concept that clans still know very well today. “In this proceeding, the judge explains, it has been shown that the Acquasanta mafia family can put certain forms of ‘assistance in question‘, Through a proven network of accomplices. “The reference is to some supermarkets that they gave food on credit to people reported by bosses. They then collected directly from the clan, which then paid the expenses to needy families. “In other words, read the letters, having great liquidity and of complicit merchants, members of the mafia family and their followers, if released, could to help many “black” workers, free of sources of income and difficult to achieve by any form of alternative State support (eg. food stamps) “. They are the last, the forgotten, who, however,” along with the many unemployed, the criminal organization could easily come by receiving one prompt economic intervention, with a view to a future affiliation or collaboration that is presented as a way of correspondent for the quickest and most direct ‘subsidy’ they benefited from. “

Wear, extortion and recycling to lead healthy societies – The second front of the mafia virus at the time of the epidemic is represented by companies in difficulty. “Blocking the activities of many commercial establishments or small and medium-sized companies is capable of causing liquidity crisis difficult to reverse for numerous economic realities, in relation to which the intervention of members of the mafia group could manifest itself through those crimes typical of the aforementioned criminal organization, that is to say wear, extortion, the recycling, the fictitious heading of goods. In other words, that criminally relevant conduct that, even in the present proceedings, connotes a large part of the high positions against the main representatives of the mafia family, “is the description made by the investigating judge. An expert and highly educated judge Economic history, Morosini recalls that “in the third ten days of March of the current year, the national rating agencies and the National Union of Companies published several documents that evaluate the capacity of the different types of companies and businesses of ‘resist prolonged blocking of activities, your creditworthiness, possibilities of obtaining loans and the necessary conditions for “recovery” in the various sectors of intervention. According to the estimates shared by the aforementioned agencies, the sectors most affected by the measures against contagion would be those related to small and medium businesses, to artisans, companies, in particular Coffee, restaurants, hotels and other accommodation facilities. “

“The economic crisis is a unique opportunity for Cosa Nostra” – In practice, the same sector in which the Palermo clans have been present for years is more exposed to the economic crisis. It is, together with investments in the sector shipyards, the center of gravity of the commercial activities that insist on the territories related to the mandate of Resuttana and the Acquasanta family, as can be seen from the data obtained from the investigation of the Guardia di Finanza. So he drastic reduction in profitability of commercial establishments determined by the business freeze will make it very difficult for business owners in the Palermo area to pay rentals, employee wages, employees taxessince it is not expected to return to normal in a short time. “And this is where the other virus exploits the damage caused by the crown:” The clans are ready to take advantage of this situation, always ready to ‘chasing companies in a state of need, as reported in recent days also by local authorities who can obviously perceive the discomfort and suffering of the Palermo community. “Then, the judge recalls that” with the liquidity crisis affecting businessmen and merchants, members of the mafia organization could intervene giving background to them illicitly accumulated capital practice wear and then take over assets and companies with extortionary maneuvers, thus altering free competition among economic operators in the area and weakening the protection mechanisms of worker-employees. “In short, to remain with the Arenella and Acquasanta clans, which already have” generalized control of that territory and its economic and social dynamics “, it will be very simple for the mafia” to take advantage of the crisis of small merchants and small companies “. or of medium size, to detect their activity or to strongly influence their work”. In this sense, “the economic and social crisis determined by the forced blockade of activities, he proposes to the criminal organization, strongly rooted in certain areas of the city, a unique opportunity to regain that room for maneuver in the territory which was in part resized during decades of intense law enforcement activities by the police and the judiciary, denying the effect of protecting economic and social public order. “

“The delay in state aid favors the mafia” – The Preliminary Investigations Judge also focuses on the various forms of financial aid allocated by the State to help struggling families and businesses. “If it is true that the central authorities have decided allocate huge resources for the rescue of companies and businesses, with a plan that provides social safety nets and forms of financial and fiscal aid, however, it should be considered that the effectiveness of that support will pass administrative procedures that hardly It will allow them to face the crisis immediately and, therefore, they could to be late or, in any case, of complex implementation for many small commercial realities that were already operating in a situation of not complete regularity if not really from the “submerged circuit”. In short: bureaucracy and tortuous procedures for accessing public aid exclude a large part of small operators from state support. “Not to mention that the goodness of public intervention also goes through one harmony between local authorities, category representatives and credit institutions to be experienced in a territory more exposed to forms of illegality in the circuits of public administration and financial economy, also due to the dating of the criminal organization called Cosa nostra ”. In this context, Cosa nostra is stronger: “So, gods delays in rescue or technical difficulties To take advantage of state support for many small economic operators, you could take advantage of the association mafia, capable of guaranteeing quick and concrete interventions that later translate into forms of recycling. “

“The fraudulent maneuver to intercept public aid” – But if, on the one hand, the clans will exploit the state delays to register needs management exclusively, on the other hand, they will try to infiltrate in every way to access the same public contributions. “Another scenario, the reasons of the magistrates, may affect the danger that the members and sympathizers of the Cosa Nostra commit crimes again and refers to the probable choice of the central authorities to face the deep suffering of the private economy with forms ofhelicopter money“(That would be based on European funds)”. What is the magistrate talking about? “It’s about the rapid and widespread distribution of aid, subsidies and credits for entrepreneurs and commercial operators, destined to be characterized as exceptional encouragement to promote economic recovery and, to do so, it must limit i preventive controls of public administrations and credit institutions on potential beneficiaries. “So the call contributions to rain, sector in which the mafias have always specialized. And that in times of emergency it becomes even more vulnerable. “Accelerating access to credit support measures, mainly entrusted to sense of responsibility and for the correction of the applicants, it could attract members of the mafia organization to unscrupulous maneuvers Giving Background to Proven Relational Networks, with entrepreneurs (often “fool“, Not only in areas with traditional roots), public officials and otherspeople from compliant credit institutions, Activate fraudulent maneuvers capable of improperly intercepting public moneyIn short: even when the state tries to accelerate access to financial aid, it runs the risk of helping clans. “In other words, the magistrate continues, the widespread need to quickly stop the crisis and the consequent difficulty of Make control over correctness and authenticity effective of requests for access to credit (and monitoring how to use the resources obtained), also due to the extraordinary scope of the situations involved, could encourage the criminal association to activate its ‘relational capital’ to subtract public resources from the purposes for which they are appropriately allocated“The coronavirus was only the beginning. Another virus, more dangerous and perverse, is already in circulation.

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