Italy: How EU subsidies end up in the Sicilian mafia's pockets

155 shares

FOCUS © FRANCE 24

By: Natalia MENDOZA | Charlotte DAVAN WETTON | Bartolo LOREFICE | Lorenza PENSA 6 min

In rural Sicily, in southern Italy, the mafia is siphoning off EU subsidies intended for farmers. Criminal organisations appropriate large areas of land with the sole intention of collecting EU funds. Over the past ten years, almost €3 billion are estimated to have ended up in the pockets of the Sicilian mafia Cosa Nostra. Our Italy correspondents report.