Villa San Giovanni
Villa San Giovanni is a port city and a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria of Calabria, Italy. In 2010 its population was 13,747 with a decrease of 2.5% until 2016 and in 2020 an increase of 3.7% . It is an important term ...
), also known as ''Nano feroce'' ("fierce dwarf"), is an
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
criminal and a member of the
'Ndrangheta
The 'Ndrangheta (, , ) is a prominent Italian Mafia-type organized crime syndicate and secret society, criminal society based in the peninsular and mountainous region of Calabria and dating back to the late 18th century. It is considered one of ...
n mafia. He was born in Villa San Giovanni and controlled the Fiumara di Muro neighbourhood in
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria ( scn, label= Southern Calabrian, Riggiu; el, label= Calabrian Greek, Ρήγι, Rìji), usually referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the largest city in Calabria. It has an estimated popul ...
.
Life as a fugitive
He was one of the protagonists in the
Second 'Ndrangheta war
The Second 'Ndrangheta war was an internal struggle in the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal organisation in Calabria (southern Italy). The conflict raged from 1985–1991 in Reggio Calabria. Practically all the 'ndrine in the city of Reggio Calabria grou ...
which raged from 1985 to 1991 between the Condello-Imerti clan and the De Stefano-Tegano clan, which left 621 deaths.Godfather's arrest fuels fear of bloody conflict The Observer, February 24, 2008 His marriage in 1983 with Giuseppina Condello – the sister of the Condello brothers, underbosses of
Paolo De Stefano
Paolo De Stefano (; died October 13, 1985) was an Italian mobster and member of the 'Ndrangheta who became the undisputed boss of Reggio Calabria. Together with his brothers Giovanni, Giorgio and Orazio he headed the De Stefano 'ndrina.
Earl ...
– triggered the conflict. The De Stefano clan feared the new alliance might challenge their power base. The conflict exploded in 1985, two years after the marriage and saw practically all the
'ndrine
The 'ndrina (, plural: ; , plural: ) is the basic unit of the 'Ndrangheta of Calabria, made up of blood relatives, and is the equivalent of the Sicilian Mafia’s "family" or '' cosca''.Varese, How Mafias Migrate'Gratteri & Nicaso ''Fratelli di ...
in the city of Reggio Calabria grouped into either one of two opposing factions.Paoli, ''Mafia Brotherhoods'', pp. 88-89Gratteri & Nicaso, ''Fratelli di sangue'', p. 65
The war started with a failed bomb attack on Antonio Imerti on October 11, 1985, which left three of his bodyguards dead.Si e' salvato soltanto il boss La Repubblica, October 13, 1985 Two days later, his rival Paolo De Stefano was killed and suspicion fell on Imerti as the one who ordered the killing. La Repubblica, October 15, 1985
Disappearance and capture
Imerti escaped a second bomb attack on July 7, 1986, and subsequently became a fugitive. He was arrested on March 23, 1993, in
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria ( scn, label= Southern Calabrian, Riggiu; el, label= Calabrian Greek, Ρήγι, Rìji), usually referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the largest city in Calabria. It has an estimated popul ...
, together with his brother-in-law
Pasquale Condello
Pasquale Condello (; born 24 September 1950) is an Italian criminal known as a member of the 'Ndrangheta. He is also known as ("the supreme one") for his role at the top of the crime syndicate.pax mafiosa' to end the war between the opposing clans in Reggio Calabria.Manette al capocosca "Nanu Feroce" Imerti e al cognato Corriere della Sera, March 24, 1993 La Repubblica, March 24, 1993