Arzano Boss Reveals Bombing of Don Patriciello Aimed to Frame Rival Clan
Naples, Campania, Italy – A shocking revelation has emerged from the ongoing investigation into the Camorra in Naples’ northern area, implicating a complex web of alliances, betrayals, and power struggles. Pietro Cristiano, a long-standing member of the Arzano 167 clan, has provided magistrates with a detailed account of the internal dynamics of the local mafia, including a startling claim about the bombing of anti-mafia priest Don Maurizio Patriciello.
The Attack on the Priest: A Calculated Frame-Up?
Cristiano alleges that the bomb placed outside Don Patriciello’s church was orchestrated to implicate the Caivano clan. “I know that the bomb on Don Patriciello was placed because the Caivano clan had not sided with them but had stayed with us,” Cristiano stated in his testimony. He recounted a meeting that took place just days before the attack, organized by Giovanni Cortese, known as “il Cavallaro,” involving members of the Cristiano clan and associates of the Caciotta family. This meeting, held on the top floor of a building in Caivano, reportedly focused on the war dividing the splintered clan, with factions led by the Monfregolo family and Pasquale Cristiano, known as “Pickstick.”
According to Pietro Cristiano, attendees at the meeting assured him they would not betray his family. Just two or three days later, the bomb exploded in front of Don Maurizio Patriciello’s church, a symbol of the civil battle against the Camorra in Caivano’s Parco Verde. “My son-in-law, through Giovanni or Cavallaro, learned that it had been done by those from Via Rossini to create difficulties for those in Caivano,” Cristiano further revealed. The objective, he claims, was to cast suspicion on the groups controlling drug dealing in the area. However, Cristiano admitted, “I heard this, but I don’t know who physically placed it. These were comments and hypotheses.”
The Internal Clan Feud: A War of Succession
These fragmented accounts paint a vivid picture of the volatile atmosphere during those months. The context is rooted in the internal war that engulfed Arzano following the murder of Salvatore Petrillo. This feud triggered a social alarm, mobilizing local authorities, politicians, and associations. The conflict was not between rival clans but rather two factions within the same criminal organization.
On one side were Giuseppe and Mariano Monfregolo, and on the other, Pasquale Cristiano, a boss who gained notoriety for parading through Arzano’s streets in a Ferrari during his son’s first communion, despite being under house arrest. This spectacle, captured on social media and later in judicial records, masked a brutal war of intimidation, arson, and smear campaigns.
Pietro Cristiano further detailed how, after attacks on his son-in-law Vincenzo Mormile, some sought to escalate the conflict. Mormile allegedly planned to put up a threatening poster against the commander of Arzano’s municipal police, aiming to pin the responsibility on the Monfregolo family, who were already considered hostile to the official. This tactic aligns with a common Camorra strategy: either directly attack the enemy or provoke an institutional reaction that harms them.
The investigation documents trace the evolution of the Arzano 167 clan, which initially operated under the influence of the Moccia and then the Amato-Pagano clans, eventually achieving operational autonomy while maintaining ties with major families in the northern area. The Petrillo murder marked a critical turning point, leading to the displacement of families loyal to Pasquale Cristiano from public housing. This was followed by arrests, retaliations, and shifts in allegiance.
The Criminal Transfer Market: Loyalty for Sale
The most striking revelation, however, is the “criminal transfer market,” where loyalties are bought and sold like football players. Pasquale Cristiano, referencing an intercepted phone call, recounted, “They gave 15,000 euros to Davide, buying him as if he were a football player.” In the Camorra of Naples’ northern area, changing allegiances comes at a price, alliances are purchased, and loyalties are rented.
When the risk of arrest looms, an emergency plan is activated. “The day before my arrest,” Cristiano revealed, “we held a meeting to decide who should remain in Arzano.” He added that some even had a confidential source, contacted via an encrypted phone, capable of anticipating police operations. Even imprisonment did not sever ties with the outside world. Cristiano explained that he continued to receive a monthly sum of three to four thousand euros, sometimes exceeding ten thousand during holidays. Communication was maintained through visits and an illegally introduced iPhone 5, which allowed for video calls.
These testimonies paint a grim picture of a criminal underworld where power, money, and manipulation dictate every move, often at the expense of public safety and justice. The investigation continues to unravel the intricate layers of this dangerous network.
Source: https://napoli.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/26_giugno_15/il-boss-della-167-di-arzano-la-bomba-a-don-patriciello-messa-per-incastrare-il-clan-di-caivano-e-spunta-il-mercato-dei-7bacbd7f-3893-4ca1-8b77-bd923e96bxlk.shtml
