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A report by the Demoskopika research institute in Rome has determined that Italy’s notorious Ndrangheta organized crime family has amassed wealth that tops that of fast food giant McDonald’s and Deutsche bank put together.
The annual turnover of the 'Ndrangheta organised crime syndicate was around €53bn – the equivalent to about 2.5% of Italy’s GDP, according to that report.
Much of the Mafia’s funding comes from drug dealing, illegal rubbish disposal, extortion, embezzlement, arms sales, prostitution and people-smuggling.
Extortion and usury last year brought in a substantial €2.9bn, while embezzlement earned the mafia €2.4bn and gambling €1.3bn. Arms sales, prostitution, counterfeiting goods and people-smuggling were less lucrative, bringing in less than €1bn together.
With its network of hundreds of family gangs based around the southern region of Calabria, it is even more feared and secretive than the Sicilian mafia, Agence France-Presse notes.
Its roots go back to a criminal association specialised in gambling, the Garduna, which was created in the Spanish city of Toledo in 1412.
Last week, Pope Francis spoke before some 700 families representing 15,000 people who have been victimized by organized criminal activity in Italy.
As part of that unprecedented address, the Pope demanded the Mafia stop its evil ways or “prepare for Hell”.
"You have power and money now from much dirty business and many mafia crimes - it is blood money and blood power, and you can't take it with you to the afterlife," Francis said in a Rome parish church packed with almost 900 relatives, many of whom held pictures of their slain loved ones.
"Men and women of the mafia, please change your lives. Convert. Stop doing evil ... There's still time to stay out of hell. That's what's waiting for you if you stay on this path."
Thousands of people in Italy have lost loved one’s at the hands of the Italian Mafia, according to reports. A toddler and his parents became the latest victims of Mob violence just hours after Pope Francis announced he would be speaking to those affected by the Mob violence.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
