AC Milan and Inter Milan Ultras Arrested Over Alleged Organized Crime Links- 2024 Updated
A number of ardent AC Milan and Inter Milan supporters were taken into custody as part of a significant campaign against organized crime in the sport of football on Monday, October 1, 2024.
These detentions are a result of a protracted investigation into illicit activities related to football games, such as ticket hawking and mafia participation in “ultras” organizations. Prominent members of these fan groups were confirmed to have been arrested by Italy’s finance police, who are accused of extortion, assault, major crimes, and criminal conspiracy tied to the mafia.
In the course of an investigation into illicit earnings made surrounding matches and the recruitment of mafia gangs into so-called “ultras” groups, ardent followers of AC Milan and Inter Milan were taken into custody on Monday for suspected organized crime offenses.
Prominent members of the “ultras” groups were detained, according to Italy’s financial police, for “criminal conspiracy aggravated by mafia methods, extortion, assault and other serious crimes”. Finance police said in a statement, “The suspects are almost all members of the Milan teams’ ultras groups while the crimes relate to revenues made around football.”
Following a protracted investigation that involved two years of wiretaps, 19 persons were taken into custody, including Renato Bosetti and Luca Lucci, the leaders of the Inter and Milan ultras.
The alleged offenses concern several operations that take place outside the San Siro stadium on game days, including ticket touting, parking lot management, concession stand sales, and accepting payments from those who enter the stadium without tickets.
Milan prosecutor Marcello Viola accused Bosetti’s predecessors, Marco Ferdico and Andrea Beretta, of letting the Bellocco clan of the influential ‘Ndrangheta mafia to be “represented within the stands by a person already convicted for mafia-related crimes.”
Antonio Bellocco, who was assassinated by Beretta earlier this month, was that representative. According to magistrate Domenico Santoro, he was the sole significant mafioso among those under investigation.
After realizing that his life was in danger, Beretta—who has a lengthy criminal history himself—allegedly fatally stabbed Bellocco during a fight outside a boxing facility in a suburb of Milan.
Because of Bellocco’s standing within the ‘Ndrangheta, Beretta’s family was under particular police observation due to concerns about possible violent retaliation, making his death shocking.
Following the shooting death of career criminal Vittorio Boiocchi outside his home in October 2022, Beretta assumed a prominent position in the San Siro’s Curva Nord section, which is home to Inter’s die-hard supporters.
At the time of his 69-year-old murder, Boiocchi boasted in wiretapped discussions about making 80,000 euros ($88,000) a month as an extreme commander, according to widely circulated reports in Italian media.
Extortion and violence
Viola did not, however, say how much money the ultras of the two teams were bringing in from their respective endeavors.
When questioned by AFP on Monday at a press conference, Viola only mentioned one nameless individual who owned a parking lot and was the target of monthly extortion threats of 4,000 euros.
Viola continued, “even though there were a series of attempts, which never resulted in any agreements, with people close to organised crime, Milan’s ultras are not accused of mafia-related offences.”
Police stated that although several of the people arrested, including Lucci, have prior convictions for drug selling, there are no drug offenses listed in the charging documents.
However, leading Milan ultras, who have now migrated into work as bodyguards, are also suspected of extorting nightclubs in Sardinia.
Viola informed reporters that authorities who believe the two clubs have suffered because of the suspected criminal behavior of those arrested are not looking into Inter, Milan, or any members of the management of the two teams.
Head of Italy’s anti-mafia and anti-terrorism body Giovanni Melillo stated, “It would be wrong to say that all ultras are criminals, but it’s clear for everyone to see that a significant part of the ultras scene is involved in criminal activity.”
Red Star Belgrade’s supporters are not permitted to attend Inter’s Champions League encounter at the San Siro on Tuesday due to concerns about possible violence.
During Monday’s pre-match news conference, head coach Simone Inzaghi informed reporters that “the club has told us to say nothing as an investigation is ongoing”.
Santoro stated that Ferdico had been in touch with Inzaghi. According to many wiretap reports, the latter put pressure on the former Italy forward to request additional tickets from the club for the 2023 Champions League final, which Inter lost to Manchester City.
Serious disturbance between Genoa and Sampdoria fans before and after their local derby in the Italian Cup last week is just one example of the clashes between fans that have already disrupted several matches involving clubs in Italy’s top level, Serie A.
Following the local derby violence that injured numerous fans and police, Genoa was obliged to play Juventus behind closed doors on Saturday. Meanwhile, Samp’s supporters were not allowed to travel to their 3-1 Serie B victory against Modena.
