Montreal Mafioso is victim of daylight hit

Agostino Cuntrera, 66, leading member of the Montreal Mafia, was murdered Tuesday in a daylight shooting at his east-end Montreal restaurant, according to a report by CTV of Canada. Also killed in the attack was Cuntrera's 48-year-old bodyguard.
    A black Chevrolet Impala was observed fleeing the scene. Police arrested two men in a similar automobile. One of the them was released.
    Authorities say Cuntrera took over command of the Sicilian criminal society in Montreal following the U.S. jailing of boss Vito Rizzuto for racketeering murders in Brooklyn. In December, Rizzuto's son Nick was shot to death in a daylight hit in Montreal's Notre Dame de Grace District. Paolo Renda, 70, a Rizzuto in-law who considered a top adviser to the Rizzuto organization, disappeared in May.
    A Calabrian underworld organization is widely believed responsible for the attacks on the Sicilian Rizzuto organization. The Rizzutos reportedly came to power in Montreal by eliminating a local Calabrian boss.
    Cuntrera was born in Sicily in 1944 and settled in Canada by 1965. He aided the Rizzuto clan as it established itself in Montreal. Cuntrera served five years in prison after being convicted of conspiring in the 1978 murder of Calabrian gang boss Paolo Violi.

Canada agency orders Gallo deported

Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board ordered May 27 that reputed Montreal Mafioso Moreno Gallo be deported to Italy, according to a story by Paul Cherry of the Montreal Gazette. Born and raised in Italy, Gallo (left) has been a Canadian resident for almost 50 years. In the 1970s, Gallo was sentenced to a life prison sentence for the murder of a drug dealer. He was paroled in the early 1980s. During the Project Colisee investigation, authorities videotaped him bringing large quantities of cash to the Cosenza Social Club, a headquarters of the Rizzuto Mafia clan. Gallo was returned to prison for violating the conditions of his parole.

Lake Ontario victim was not Renda

Montreal Mafioso Paolo Renda remains missing. A body pulled Sunday from Lake Ontario was identified today as Quang Li, 47, a Thornhill, Ontario, resident who has been missing since 2007, according to a story by Katherine Wilson of the Montreal Gazette. Renda, a top man in the Rizzuto Mafia and a brother-in-law of reputed boss Vito Rizzuto, was reported missing on Thursday. His car was found near his home, its windows down and its key still in the ignition. Rizzuto is imprisoned in the U.S. Rizzuto's son Nick was shot to death in December. Canadian officials believe the Rizzuto organization is under siege by another underworld organization. The body of Quang Li was found encased in concrete within a rusty steel oil drum.

Concrete-encased body may be Renda's

There is widespread speculation that a concrete-encased body drawn May 23 from Toronto's harbor on Lake Ontario was that of Montreal Mafioso Paolo Renda, missing since last week, according to a story published the Montreal Gazette.

    Police in Montreal have contacted Toronto authorities about the remains, which were found within concrete contained in a steel oil drum. However, neither police agency would publicly comment on any connection to Renda's disappearance. Toronto Detective Justin Vander Heyden told reporters that police have "a good idea" whose body it is. He said identification by the coroner's office would take at least two to three days.
    Renda has been a high-ranking member of the Rizzuto Mafia in Montreal. He is the brother-in-law of reputed Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto, now imprisoned in the U.S. Montreal authorities believe the Rizzuto underworld clan has been under siege since the shooting death of Vito Rizzuto's son Nick last December.
    Released from prison in mid-February, Renda was last seen at 3:15 p.m. on May 20. His wife reported him missing at 6 p.m. Police found his automobile, with the windows down and the keys in the ignition, not far from his home.

Canadian authorities search for Renda

While they wonder aloud if other members of the Rizzuto family of Montreal may be in danger, Canadian authorities are searching for Paolo Renda, missing since Thursday afternoon. Renda (left), 70, is described as 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds. He has gray hair and brown eyes. When last seen, he was wearing navy blue pants and a striped shirt. Renda's car was found parked on Gouin Boulevard West near Albert Prevost Avenue, a short distance from his home on Antoine Berthelet Avenue in Montreal's Cartierville District. Authorities suspect that Renda, an in-law of the Rizzuto family and reputed consigliere of the Rizzuto Mafia organization, was abducted by a rival underworld group. They ask that anyone with information about his disappearance contact Info-Crime: 514-393-1133.

Montreal Mafia leader Renda apparently kidnapped

Paolo Renda, 70, brother-in-law of imprisoned Montreal Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto and reputed consigliere of the underworld organization, disappeared on May 20, according to stories by Paul Cherry of the Montreal Gazette and Adrian Humphries of the National Post. Renda was last seen at 3:15 p.m. His wife Maria reported him missing at 6 p.m. Authorities suspect he has been abducted and fear he may have been killed.

    The Mafia of Montreal appears to be under siege by a rival underworld organization. Nick Rizzuto, son of boss Vito Rizzuto, was shot to death Dec. 28, 2009. Authorities suspect that a Calabrian gang may have been responsible. Two men were killed in a March 18 shooting that police suspected was a retaliatory move by the Sicilian Rizzuto clan. The Rizzuto family reportedly came to power in Montreal in the 1970s, after having local Calabrian underworld boss Paolo Violi killed.
    Renda (right), jailed in October 2008 for possessing the proceeds of crime, was released from prison in mid-February. Fearing that he would become involved in a gang war, authorities placed restrictions on his release. 
    Investigating the disappearance, police found Renda's Infinity automobile near Albert-Prevost Avenue not far from his Cartierville home. The windows were open, and the keys were in the ignition. 
    The Renda and Rizzuto families have been close for many years. They share a common background in Cattolica Eraclea, in southern Sicily between Sciacca and Agrigento. Renda's wife is the sister of Vito Rizzuto, now imprisoned in the U.S. He served as godfather to Rizzuto's son Nick, who was killed in December. Renda is considered Rizzuto's right-hand man and is believed to have handled the finances of the Montreal Mafia. He was among the dozens arrested in Operation Colisee in 2006. 
    Rizzuto's father, Nicolo, was scheduled to appear in court May 21 on a five-year-old impaired driving charge. That appearance was postponed after his attorney argued that it would be too dangerous for the 86-year-old to be seen in public. Nicolo was fined in February for evading taxes on millions of dollars held in Swiss bank accounts.


Click for more posts related to Paolo Renda.
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Read more about the Mafia of Montreal:
The Sixth Family: The Collapse of the New York Mafia and the Rise of Vito Rizzuto 
by Adrian Humphreys and Lee Lamothe

Gallo allowed to remain in Canada

Canadian officials decided April 12 against deporting Moreno Gallo, 64, according to a story by Paul Cherry of the Montreal Gazette. Gallo was granted day-parole at a halfway house on March 30 after serving time for associating with known mobsters in violation of earlier parole conditions. Canada Border Services Agency immediately took him into custody as it considered his deportation. On April 12, the agency determined that conditions placed on Gallo's latest release were sufficient to manage any risk to society.

Gallo is regarded as an influential character in the Montreal Mafia. He is believed to have moderated underworld disputes, including one between the Mafia and the local Hells Angels. He was sentenced to life in prison in 1974 after pleading guilty to the murder of Montreal drug dealer Angelo Facchino. He was paroled from that sentence in September 1983 but rejailed in 2007 after evidence surfaced of regular visits to the headquarters of the Rizzuto Mafia within the now-defunct Cosenza Social Club.

Montreal hopes for YouTube help

Montreal police posted surveillance videos on the Internet's YouTube service in the hope of identifying the gunmen who murdered two men and injured two others on March 18, according to a story by Catherine Solyom of the Montreal Gazette. Authorities believe 41-year-old Ducarme Joseph, owner of the Flawnego clothing store and alleged leader of a strong street gang, was the target of the attack. Joseph escaped out a back door of the store as the shooting began. His bodyguard Peter Christopoulos, 27, and store manager Jean Gaston, 60, were killed in the attack. Police believe the shooting may have been in retaliation for the December killing of Nicolo Rizzuto, son of jailed local Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto.

Canada releases Gallo, may deport him

Canadian officials granted imprisoned Montreal racketeer Moreno Gallo (left), 64, release to a halfway house at the end of March, even while they warned him that he might soon be rearrested for deportation, according to a story by Paul Cherry of the Montreal Gazette.

Gallo, an Italian native, arrived in Canada with his family in 1954. He never became a citizen. He was convicted of the 1973 vendetta murder of 26-year-old drug dealer Angelo Facchino. He was paroled in 1983 on the condition that he have no association with underworld figures. Authorities learned that he made regular visits to the Cosenza Social Club on Jarry Street East, headquarters of the Rizzuto Mafia organization. Gallo was arrested in 2007 on evidence gathered in Operation Colisee. He was imprisoned for associating with mobsters.

Two shot dead in Old Montreal

Two men were shot dead in Old Montreal on March 18, causing police to scramble to find links to Canada's most prominent Mafia family, according to a story by Andy Blatchford and Sidhartha Banerjee of the Toronto Star. Police did not immediately identify the two victims, who were shot at a high-end St. Jacques Street clothing store. Two bystanders were struck and injured by flying lead. The gunmen escaped the area on foot. They were seen discarding clothing and Rastafarian-style wigs as they walked briskly away.

Detectives had been expecting reprisals for the Dec. 28 slaying of Nicolo Rizzuto, son of jailed Montreal crime boss Vito Rizzuto. Vito Rizzuto is serving a 10-year sentence in Colorado for his involvement in three Brooklyn, NY, racketeering murders in 1981.

The March 18 killings were later linked to Ducarme Joseph, owner of the clothing store, according to a story by the AFP news service. Police speculated that Joseph, reportedly tied to Montreal street gangs, was the target of the attack. A Joseph bodyguard was one of the victims. Canadian organized crime expert Antonio Nicaso said the Rizzuto Mafia was seeing increased competition from Calabrian criminal organizations as well as street gangs. The competition, he suggested, may be receiving encouragement from New York Mafia groups.

Canada adds conditions to Renda release

As 70-year-old Montreal Mafioso Paolo Renda was paroled in mid-February, authorities added conditions to his release, according to a story by Paul Cherry of the Montreal Gazette. Renda, who was jailed in October 2008 for possession of the proceeds of crime, will be closely watched due to the recent murder of his nephew and godson Nicolo "Nick" Rizzuto.

An official report states, "Unfortunate events took place on Dec. 28, 2009, during which your godson was killed, and Correctional Service of Canada fears reprisals on the part of Italian organized crime. A tighter framework is recommended to assure public safety."

Renda is married to the sister of reputed Montreal Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto, 63. The murdered Nick Rizzuto was Vito Rizzuto's son. Nick was shot to death in Notre Dame de Grace on Dec. 28. The killing is unsolved.

Montreal Mafioso fined $209K

The 85-year-old reputed head of the Montreal Mafia was fined $209,200 in early February for not paying Canadian taxes on more than $5 million hidden in three Swiss bank accounts, according to a story by Stephane Tremblay in the Toronto Sun. Nicolo Rizzuto pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges. Rizzuto was arrested in a massive raid against alleged organized criminals in 2006. He was sentenced to four years in prison for possessing the proceeds of crime. He was released on parole in 2008. Rizzuto's 42-year-old grandson was murdered in Montreal in December 2009.

Read more about the Rizzuto Mafia:
The Sixth Family: The Collapse of the New York Mafia and the Rise of Vito Rizzuto

Younger Rizzuto shot to death in Montreal

Nicolo "Nick" Rizzuto, son of reputed Montreal Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto, was shot to death in Old Montreal on Dec. 28.

Vito Rizzuto is serving time in a U.S. prison for his involvement in several New York murders.

Authorities believe the murder of Nick Rizzuto represents a power struggle among Canadian underworld factions and could lead to violent reprisals.

Nicolo Rizzuto, 84, gets suspended sentence

Nicolo Rizzuto, 84-year-old father of reputed Montreal Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto, was released from a Canadian prison today, according to reports by the Canadian Press, the Globe and Mail and the National Post.

Last month, Nicolo Rizzuto (right) pleaded guilty to possessing goods obtained through criminal gains and to possession of proceeds of crime for the benefit of a criminal organization. He was sentenced today to time served and three years of probation.

Rizzuto was arrested as part of the massive Canadian "Project Colisee" back in November 2006.

Four other reputed leaders in the Montreal Mafia were sentenced to between six and 15 years in prison. Authorities say Project Colisee targeted participants in a ring that smuggled cocaine through Montreal's airport. Police initially arrested 90 people.

Vito Rizzuto is serving a 10-year racketeering sentence in a medium-security prison in Colorado. He was convicted of participating in three 1981 Mafia murders in Brooklyn.

Nicolo Rizzuto could go free next month

Sources tell the Montreal Gazette that Montreal Mafia big shot Nicolo Rizzuto (left) may be released on the same October day he is sentenced. Rizzuto, 84, recently pleaded guilty to two charges linking him with the Canadian underworld. He faces a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. However, the Gazette expects an Oct. 16 sentence of time served plus probation. Rizzuto is the father of Vito Rizzuto, 62, reputed boss of the Montreal Mafia. Vito

Nicolo Rizzuto, 5 others, plead guilty in Canada

Six alleged leaders of the Montreal Mafia pleaded guilty today to racketeering-related offenses, according to stories by the Globe and Mail and the Montreal Gazette. One of the six defendants was Nicolo Rizzuto, 84-year-old father of reputed Montreal Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto.

The other defendants pleading guilty were Rocco Sollecito, Paolo Renda (a Rizzuto in-law), Francesco Arcadi, Francesco DelBalso and Lorenzo Giordano. Prosecutors say the six men supervised the activities of the Montreal Mafia since 2004, when Vito Rizzuto was imprisoned. The six will be sentenced next month.

Nicolo Rizzuto and Paolo Renda, 69, pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of crime and to possession of the proceeds of crime for the benefit of, the direction of, or in association with a criminal organization. Arcadi, 54, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, overseeing drug smuggling and trafficking, bookmaking and illegal gambling. DelBalso, 38, and Giordano, 45, pleaded to the same charge as Arcadi, plus extortion.

The men were arrested as part of Project Colisée, a four-year drug trafficking investigation which resulted in more than 70 arrests in November 2006.

Six defendants prepare for Montreal Mafia trial

Court officials in Canada have set aside two weeks in September for pretrial motions in the racketeering case against six reputed leaders of the Montreal Mafia, according to a story by the Canwest News Service. The six men have opted for trial by a judge alone.

More than 100 people were arrested in Project Colisee in November 2006. Government attention has focused on six big shots, including 83-year-old Nicolo Rizzuto (left), father of jailed mob boss Vito Rizzuto. Vito is serving time in the United States for participating in three 1981 murders.

Mob-linked drug criminal shot to death in Canada

Constantin "Big Gus" Alevizos, 45, was shot to death Jan. 30 at a halfway house in Ontario, Canada, according to a story by the Canwest News Service. With bullet wounds through his torso, Alevizos was clinging to life as police arrived, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at the local hospital.

Authorities say Alevizos (right) was sentenced last February to three years in prison for participating in a drug conspiracy. Thirty-one other people were convicted of conspiracy in the drug ring, which police believe was part of a Montreal Mafia incursion into Ontario.

One of Alevizo's closest friends, Gaetano Panepinto, has been linked with the Montreal-based Rizzuto Mafia organization as well as outlaw motorcycle gangs and high-volume drug dealers.

Police have no suspects in the killing.

Additional charges filed against Montreal mobsters

Alleged Montreal mobsters face up to 100 additional charges, as a result of paperwork filed in a Canadian court last week, reported the CBC News of Canada.

More than 100 people were arrested in the Montreal area in November 2006, including several alleged leaders of the local Rizzuto Crime Family. "What we did in November 2006 is lay a general account [of charges]," prosecutor Yvan Poulin explained on Thursday. "Today, we focused on specific events that occurred during the investigation."

The additional counts are related to extortion, bookmaking and possession of the proceeds of crime. A dozen additional charges were lodged against alleged crime family bigshot Nick Rizzuto (left), 83. He is the father of crime boss Vito Rizzuto, now jailed in the U.S. after admitting a role in the murders of three Bonanno Crime Family capos in 1981.

Montreal Mafioso's bail hearing begins

The bail hearing for alleged Montreal Mafia bigshot Nick Rizzuto began this week, according to a report by the Canadian Press. The hearing is expected to last two weeks and to include witnesses and wiretap evidence. A court order has banned publication of the hearing details.

Rizzuto, 83, was arrested nine months ago in a large police roundup of suspected organized criminals. He is charged with gangsterism, conspiracy and drug-related offenses.