On the date listed above, 80-year-old jeweler Settimo Mineo, was arrested by Italian authorities. Through the use of wiretaps, Italian police discovered Mineo was elected capo dei capi or boss of all bosses for the Cosa Nostra; also known as the Sicilian Mafia, on May 27, 2018.
Mineo ascended to the role of Godfather nearly six months after the death of former Cosa Nostra Godfather Salvatore “Toto” Riina. Mineo made an effort to keep a low profile. He did not use cell phones and would not drive a car to avoid surveillance by law enforcement.
According to Federico Cafiero de Raho, chief of Italy’s anti-Mafia national prosecution office, “The other mobsters chose him because Mineo represented the old Cosa Nostra; and by choosing him, they also chose the old methods of intimidation, like sending severed lambs’ heads to the businessmen who refused to pay the protection money.’’
Thus far, 46 people, including Mineo have been arrested by Italian authorities in an operation named Cupola 2.0. The cupola is the provincial mob commission or ruling council for Cosa Nostra. Those arrested are suspected of committing arson, extortion and possessing illegal weapons. They are all believed to have ties to the mafia. They allegedly were preparing to murder a criminal who created a protection racket without Cosa Nostra’s approval.
SOURCE: ALESSANDRO FUCARINI/AFP/GETTY IMAGES