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Montreal Mayor Hit With Corruption Charges

Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum has been arrested on corruption charges which "relate to obtaining permission and political support for two real estate projects" between 2006 and 2011 when he headed a city borough as reported by CBC News.

Applebaum took over mayoral responsibilities in the City of Saints after his predecessor Gérald Tremblay resigned last November amid a corruption inquiry into allegations that the Montreal Mafia and public officials were colluding together in the award of government contracts to construction companies from which they took kickbacks.

In January Applebaum fended off claims that he was mobbed up, and held a press conference to respond to allegations that he "attended a political fundraiser in 2003 at a restaurant owned and frequented by Mafia associates, and that he was involved in generous government grants given to Tony Magi, a real-estate developer [allegedly] linked to Montreal's Rizzuto clan" as reported by Rene Bruemmer for The Gazette:

"I have never given favours to anybody, never received any funds, never gone on any boat trips," Applebaum said. "I am not afraid of the Mafia, I do not hang out with the Mafia and I do not know members of the Mafia. They are not friends of mine."

The Montreal Mafia is engaged in an ongoing turf war among rival clans for control over the drug trade which has left dozens dead in the last few years.

Battipaglia Mayor Charged In Camorra Probe

Repeat three times:  organized crime cannot exist without public corruption.

Italian police have arrested Mayor Giovanni Santomauro from the Campania city of Battipaglia for allegedly awarding contracts to companies tied to the Camorra or Neapolitan Mafia in a bid rigging scheme as reported by ANSA.

The Camorra runs the streets of Naples and is involved in everything from the vice rackets such as drugs and prostitution to the corruption of legitimate industries including waste and construction, and its dirty operations were exposed to the world by Roberto Saviano in his 2006 international bestseller Gomorrah which subsequently was adapted into a film by director Matteo Garrone.

Montreal Politician Disclaims Mob At Graft Inquiry

The Charbonneau Commission is investigating corruption allegations involving the Montreal Mafia and dirty officials in the award of public contracts in the construction industry, and yesterday Frank Zampino who once headed the city's executive committee testified that he was not a mob tool as reported by Sidhartha Banerjee for The Canadian Press:  "Zampino has frequently been mentioned at the inquiry as being close to various players involved in corruption."

Father-And-Son Team Lose Companies Over Suspected Ties To Sicilian Boss

Italian authorities have seized six companies worth 30 million euros ($40 million) from Francesco Morici and his son Vincenzo Morici who allegedly have ties to fugitive boss Matteo Messina Denaro from Cosa Nostra or the Sicilian Mafia as reported by ANSA:  "the companies are allegedly linked to rigged bids that gave them construction contracts between 2001 and 2005 at the port of Trapani in western Sicily, to boost tourism."

Nicolo Milioto Gushes Over Nicolo Rizzuto

Nicolo Milioto testified for a third day before the Charbonneau Commission which is investigating corruption allegations involving the Montreal Mafia and dirty officials in the award of public contracts in the construction industry, and although admitting that he was a sometime errand boy for Nicolo Rizzuto insists that he never was involved with any of the recently-slain mob patriarch's dirty affairs as reported by CBC News:  "he said he was simply friends with the Rizzutos and any illegal activities they may have been involved in were none of his business," and added "to me, they were good people who I respected and nothing more."

An apparently incredulous Justice France Charbonneau who is presiding over the hearings twice reminded Milioto "even vague or imprecise answers" could result in perjury or contempt charges against him as reported by Monique Muse for The Gazette.