Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/556862
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SUBSCRIPTION FORM 'Ndrangheta's man in Malta bullied witness into giving up on fatherhood Witness in inquiry over Calabrian mafia's betting network in Malta recounts intimidation he suffered at the hand of Betuniq's director Marco Zucco after impregnating his sister JURGEN BALZAN THE 700-page dossier authored by Reggio Calabria's anti-mafia unit includes a number of anec- dotes which have given a some- what clearer picture of the en- igmatic life of mafia bosses and their henchmen, particularly those who set a network of gam- ing firms in Malta to launder their criminal proceeds. One episode described in detail centres around an Italian witness who happened to have had a re- lationship with Jessica Zucco, sister of one of the men arrested in Malta and who was the mas- termind behind the companies set up in Malta for the Calabrian mafia, the 'Ndrangheta. According to the anti-mafia unit's dossier, the woman's brother, Marco Zucco, opened one of the companies involved in the scam, Betuniq, together with the 'Ndrangheta's main man Mario Gennaro. The witness, Michele Erredia, told prosecutors that he was "worried and afraid about his safety" after having impregnated Jessica Zucco. Erredia, who worked in a su- permarket in Malta and lived in Gzira together with Zucco, said that he shared a number of ex- periences with her and met her relatives, who were also involved with other partners in managing interests in the online gaming sector. "The woman became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion, to which, however, Erredia disa- greed," anti-mafia investigators recounted in their dossier. "He however had to give in to the intransigent position of the woman's brother: the already known Marco Zucco, who threat- ened Erredia and not only forced him to relinquish his paternal ambitions, but also to leave Mal- ta, which he did, by returning to Italy," the dossier says. Marco Zucco, who owns five properties in Malta, was de- scribed as a man who enjoyed a "lavish lifestyle" and played a central role in the management of Betuniq in Malta. The Betuniq brand controlled 1,500 gaming and betting agen- cies spread all over the Italian territory and was run by Mario Gennaro, who was arrested in Malta and extradited alongside five other Italian nationals. In the wake of the arrests, the Malta Gaming Authority suspended with immedi- ate effect the licences of Uniq Group Limited (Betuniq) and Bet- solution4U Lim- ited. Besides provid- ing key informa- tion on Marco Zucco, Erredia confirmed Gennaro's crucial role in Betuniq, and his high-end lifestyle. "Erredia offers significant facts, in order to describe Gennaro's criminal qualities, by giving more evidence regarding the fact that he is a representative of the 'Ndrangheta, having infiltrated in the highly remunerative busi- ness," the dossier points out. In recounting the intimidation he suffered to give up on becom- ing a father and to distance him- self from Jessica Zucco, Erredia told investigators that his girl- friend warned him to steer away from Gennaro. Alluding to Gennaro's criminal attributes, the woman told him "you should never talk about Gennaro as you don't know who you are dealing with." 'Ndrangheta's homo novus Calabria police described 39- year-old Mario Gennaro, who was registered at a Pendergar- dens address at St Julian's, as the mastermind behind the web of il- legal online betting and gambling in Italy on behalf of the 'Ndrang- heta. Five other Italian nationals – Margherita Giudetti, 34, Franc- esco Ripepi, 38, Alessandro Ciaffi, 40, Rocco Ripepi, 36 and Fortunato Stracuzzi, 37 – con- nected to the Betuniq brand who were living in Malta, were ar- rested under a European Arrest Warrant. Gennaro was described by the judge as the mafia's "new man" (homo novus) who acted as the 'ndrangheta's "instrument and guarantor" in its attempt to infil- trate the betting industry through ostensibly lawful operations. In recent years, Italian police had been following Gennaro's movements closely, especially his frequent trips to Malta, where he participated in poker tour- naments with notorious people from Calabria well known for their affection for casinos and sports betting. Reports in the Italian media said that the police inquiry dubbed 'Gambling' shows that the Texas Holdem Poker tournaments in Malta were being used for the re- cycling of money deriving from criminal activities, principally from the Tegano clan. Anti-mafia magistrates con- cluded that Gennaro's frequent trips to Malta and his participa- tion in poker tournaments con- firmed that the mafia's money was being transferred to Malta. Marco Zucco, mastermind Mario Gennaro, escorted by policemen after his extradition from Malta