An Italian choose on Tuesday sentenced 16 Inter Milan and AC Milan hardline extremely followers to jail phrases starting from two to 10 years for crimes together with homicide, extortion and felony affiliation with hyperlinks to the ‘Ndrangheta mafia.
The verdicts adopted a fast-track trial held behind closed doorways in a excessive safety court docket connected to Milan’s San Vittore jail. The case resulted from the arrest of 19 folks final September following an investigation by Milan prosecutors and the workplace of the nationwide anti-mafia prosecutor.
A second trial, which entails three different AC Milan ultras, will ship its verdict on June 19.
Prosecutors argued that the extremely teams acted as “non-public militias” with felony affect far past the stadium, alleging infiltration by each the mafia and far-right extremist teams.
Round 200 AC Milan followers demonstrated exterior the court docket in solidarity with their fellow ultras earlier than the verdicts had been handed down.
Choose Rossana Mongiardo sentenced Andrea Beretta, former chief of Inter Milan’s ultras, to 10 years in jail. He had confessed to the homicide in September of Antonio Bellocco, a number one determine within the ‘Ndrangheta and a fellow Inter extremely.
After his arrest, Beretta turned a state witness and cooperated with investigators, contributing to a decrease sentence than may in any other case be utilized in a homicide case.
Luca Lucci, the historic chief of AC Milan’s ultras, who can also be underneath investigation in a parallel case for worldwide drug trafficking, was sentenced to 10 years in jail plus 4 years of probation on prices of felony affiliation and tried homicide.
On the finish of the trial, the defence attorneys had dismissed the prosecution’s prices as “a home of playing cards.”
In a fast-track trial, instances are heard by a choose behind closed doorways with out witnesses. Defendants get their sentences lowered by a 3rd if they comply with the method.
The choose additionally ordered an instantly enforceable provision of €50,000 ($58,000) every payable to Inter and Milan, plus an extra €20,000 to Italy’s Serie A. Any additional damages shall be assessed individually in civil proceedings.
Leaders of the ultras, along with the ‘Ndrangheta mafia, ran ticket scams and safety rackets on drink stands and automotive parks across the metropolis’s San Siro stadium, which each golf equipment share, prosecutors mentioned.
In response to investigators, the case found in Milan shouldn’t be the one one in Italy the place crime bosses and the far-right are tapping into the muscle and money-spinning actions of hardline extremely followers.
Comparable points have been uncovered in Greece the place police have made dozens of arrests as they examine the alleged hyperlinks between violent sports activities followers and felony gangs.
