Francesco Vottari
Francesco Vottari (born 16 July 1971 in Locri, Calabria), also known as Cicciu u Frunzu, is a boss of the 'Ndrangheta from San Luca in Calabria. He is the son of Giuseppe Vottari. He is married to Maria Pelle, the daughter of Antonio Pelle, the capo crimine of the organisation.[1]
He is one of the bosses of the Pelle-Vottari-Romeo clan, involved in a bloody feud with the Strangio-Nirta clan since 1991. Both clans are based in San Luca, and the vendetta between the two clans is known as the San Luca feud. The conflict received significant public attention on 15 August 2007, when six men belonging to the Pelle-Vottari-Romeo clan were shot dead in their cars in front of a pizzeria near the train station of Duisburg in western Germany.
Italian police drastically heightened security measures in San Luca as a result, and stepped up operations against both clans. Vottari managed to avoid capture in a major police raid on San Luca two weeks after the Duisburg killings. However, he was arrested on 12 October 2007, while he tried to hide under his bed.[2]
On 12 July 2011, the Criminal Court in Locri sentenced Vottari to life imprisonment for the Duisburg killings.[3][4]
References
[edit]- ^ (in Italian) Colpaccio dell’Arma dei Carabinieri. Arrestato il Capo Cosca Francesco Vottari Archived 2007-11-30 at the Wayback Machine, Melito Online, October 12, 2007
- ^ (in Italian) Strage di Duisburg, arrestato il boss Francesco Vottari, La Repubblica, 12 October 2007
- ^ (in Italian) Strage di Duisburg, verdetto di primo grado ergastolo a Giovanni Strangio e altri sette, La Repubblica, July 12, 2011
- ^ Italians convicted in Duisburg mob massacre, The Associated press, July 12, 2011