Court Upholds Sentences Against Mafia Boss for Threats Against Prominent Journalist

The Court of Appeal in Rome has upheld the sentences for Francesco Bidognetti, the boss of the Casalesi clan, and his former lawyer, Michele Santonastaso, for threatening writer Roberto Saviano and journalist Rosaria Capacchione in 2008. At that time, Saviano was already under police protection due to previous threats he had received from affiliates of organized crime, while protection for Capacchione was initiated following their intimidation. The court sentenced Bidognetti to one and a half years in prison, while Santonastaso received a sentence of one year and two months. Both were charged with threats aggravated by the mafioso method, in a trial that has been pivotal for understanding the operations of the Camorra, known as Spartacus. In 2014, Bidognetti and Santonastaso were initially acquitted of the same charges. However, that acquittal was later overturned by the Court of Appeal in Naples, which declared the first ruling null due to jurisdictional issues. Consequently, the case was transferred to Rome, where, in 2021, they were found guilty for their threats against the journalists. Saviano, who has faced multiple threats due to his work exposing the mafia, described today's ruling as the most important of his life in an article published in the Corriere della Sera. The decision is seen as a significant victory in the ongoing battle against organized crime in Italy, underscoring the legal system's commitment to protecting those who stand up against such intimidations. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2