Two professionals convicted for assisting Messina Denaro during his fugitive years

 Today, judge Marco Gaeta issued the verdict in the summary trial against three alleged accomplices of Matteo Messina Denaro, the mafia boss arrested last year. Two professionals, architect Massimo Gentile and radiologist Cosimo Leone, were respectively sentenced to 10 and 8 years in prison for mafia association. Conversely, the young Leonardo Gulotta, who had no previous criminal record, was acquitted "for not having committed the act."

The sentences for Gentile and Leone were less than what was requested by the prosecution (12 years). For Gulotta, for whom 6 years and 8 months had been sought for external complicity, the judge's decision marks an important point: he is the only one among the alleged boss's accomplices to have been acquitted.

According to the prosecution, Gentile had lent his identity to the boss to enable him to purchase a Fiat 500 and a motorcycle, using forged documents. Leone, on the other hand, had assisted the fugitive during a hospital stay at Mazara del Vallo in 2020, changing shifts to be present during a CT scan and arranging for a SIM card to be delivered through an intermediary.

The lawyers for Gentile, Antonio Ingroia and Mario Di Trapani, argued that their client had been the victim of identity theft, a theory the judge did not accept.

The young Gulotta was accused of making his cell phone number available to Messina Denaro during the purchase of the Fiat 500 in 2015. However, the defense, represented by lawyer Mariella Gulotta, argued that the number listed by the boss was similar, except for one digit, to that of a woman with whom the fugitive had a relationship. The judge accepted this view, absolving the young man of any responsibility.

The trial highlighted how Messina Denaro could rely on a complex system of supporters who provided him with logistical and medical support during his long period of hiding. For example, Leone was accused of aiding the boss during a hospital stay related to cancer treatment, demonstrating how the fugitive was able to penetrate even healthcare facilities with the help of unsuspecting professionals.

The case, with its convictions and acquittal, represents a further piece in the complex mosaic of the support network that allowed Matteo Messina Denaro to remain a fugitive for nearly thirty years. Investigations continue to bring new details to light, highlighting the extent of his complicity and the key role of unsuspecting professionals.