Matteo Messina Denaro is a very well-known name in Mafia history. He is the Mafia leader in Sicily. Learn about personal life and crimes. This article covers his early life, rise to power, net worth, family, and recent arrest.
Get an in-depth look into the inner workings of organized crime and the ongoing battle between the state and the Mafia in Italy.
Matteo Messina Denaro, the most wanted man in Italy, was arrested in Sicily
After a raid conducted by more than 100 specialized agents with the anti-Mafia Carabinieri early in the morning on Monday, Matteo Messina Denaro, one of the Cosa Nostra Mafia‘s top leaders in Sicily and the most sought man in Italy, was taken into custody around 10 a.m. local time. He was arrested while receiving treatment in a private medical facility in Palermo, known as the Maddalena clinic. The kind of care Messina Denaro was getting is unknown.
Messina Denaro had been on the run since 1993 and was one of Europol’s most-wanted men in Europe. He was the longest-hiding fugitive of Cosa Notra, having been wanted for almost 30 years.
The arrest of Messina Denaro was celebrated as a major victory for the Italian government and law enforcement agencies.
“It is a victory for all the police forces that have worked together over these long years to bring the dangerous fugitive to justice.”
Italy’s chief of Police, Lamberto Giannini, said in a statement congratulating the Carabinieri – Italy’s military police – and the Palermo Public Prosecutor’s Office
“A great victory for the state, which demonstrates that it does not give up in the face of the Mafia.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also took to Twitter to express her support, writing:
Life Sentences for Crimes
For his many crimes, Messina Denaro received several life sentences in absentia, most notably in 1992 for his participation in the separate murders of anti-Mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. He is also suspected of having ordered dozens of murders involving the Mafia.
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In 2020, he was given his most recent life sentence for the deadly explosions that occurred in Milan, Florence, and Rome in the late 1990s as well as for the murder and torture of an enemy’s 11-year-old son who testified against the Sicilian Cosa Nostra.
The arrest of Matteo Messina Denaro is a significant blow to the Sicilian Mafia, and it remains to be seen what impact his capture will have on the criminal organization in the long term.
When was Matteo Messina born? How old is he?
Matteo Messina Denaro was born on April 26, 1962 (age 60 years), in Castelvetrano, Sicily, Italy. He is the son of Francesco Messina Denaro, also known as Don Ciccio, who served as the capo mandamento of Castelvetrano as well as the leader of the Mafia Commission for the Trapani area.
He also had five siblings, Patrizia Messina Denaro, Salvatore Messina Denaro, Giovanna Messina Denaro Bice Maria Messina Denaro, and Rosalia Messina Denaro.
Matteo Messina Denaro Growing Up in a Mafia Household
From a young age, Matteo was exposed to the criminal world through his father’s involvement in the Mafia. His father began his career as a campiere (armed guard) for the affluent landowner D’Al family, one of the original founders of the Banco Sicula. He was appointed the D’Al land holdings’ fattore (estate manager).
They gave Matteo Messina Denaro a sizable land in the neighborhood of Zangara (Castelvetrano). Salvatore Riina, who was connected with Messina Denaro, turned out to be the true new owner.
By the age of 14, Matteo was proficient with a firearm. His father’s influence likely played a role in his early involvement in criminal activities.
Stepping into the Criminal World
After his father passed away peacefully in November 1998, Matteo assumed control of the region that includes Castelvetrano and the nearby cities, with Vincenzo Virga remaining in charge of Trapani and its surroundings. Messina Denaro assumed control of the Mafia in the province of Trapani after Virga’s imprisonment in 2001.
In April 2001, he was featured on the cover of L’Espresso magazine with the headline: “Ecco il nuovo capo della Mafia,” which brought him widespread recognition as a top Mafia leader in Sicily.
Who is Matteo Messina’s wife?
Matteo Messina Denaro, the infamous Mafia boss, is not known to have ever been married. However, he has been rumored to have had a number of relationships throughout his life.
Rumored Relationship with Francesca Alagna
In the middle of the 1990s, he began a relationship with Francesca Alagna, with whom he is rumored to have had a daughter.
The identity of his daughter is not known to the public, but it is believed that she was born around 1996. The two are thought to have had a close relationship and reportedly spent a lot of time together.
Protecting His Daughter’s Identity
As a highly wanted criminal and a notorious Mafia boss. Matteo Messina Denaro would likely go to great lengths to protect the identity of his daughter. He keeps her safe from the dangers of his criminal lifestyle. It is likely that she and her mother are living under assumed identities and are being kept far away from the spotlight.
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The Italian Government has also taken precautions to protect the identity of his daughter, as well as other family members to avoid any retaliation from the mafia, as they are considered as potential hostages.
How much is Matteo Messina’s net worth?
As the leader of one of the most powerful and feared criminal organizations in the world. Matteo Messina Denaro had wealth and resources of $2.5 Billion.
Cosa Nostra also has a number of legitimate businesses and real estate holdings that generate income. These can include construction companies, restaurants, and other legitimate businesses that are used as fronts for money laundering. It is likely that Messina Denaro had a share in these holdings and was receiving income from them.
In the years leading up to his arrest. The Italian government had seized a number of assets believed to be connected to Messina Denaro. Including properties, businesses, and bank accounts. These seizures likely reduced his net worth significantly.
