Alleged mob boss deemed dangerous: IRB
Bruzzese said to wield power in Mafia clans
An Italian man accused of being boss of a Mafia clan in Italy and a key link to the inner circle of Montreal mob boss Vito rizuto was declared too dangerous to be released from an Ontario prison while he waits for an immigration hearing to decide if he should be deported back to Italy.
carmelo bruzzese, 64, was arrested in his woodbridge home, north of Toronto, on Aug. 23, not on criminal charges but because he is a noncanadian citizen accused of involvement in organized crime. he has been fighting ever since to be released from prison.
After three days of often fiery arguments at an Immigration and refugee board hearing, Irb adjudicator ron
In Canada, he was described as a man ‘living in the shadows’
Stratigopoulos determined that Mr. bruzzese is a danger to the public and unlikely to appear for removal if he is ordered out of canada. he ordered Mr. bruzzese remain in prison, pending an admissibility hearing.
At the lengthy Irb hearings, attended exclusively by the National Post, Mr. bruzzese was described by the canada border Services Agency as one of the top leaders of the ‘Ndrangheta, the proper name of the Mafia that formed in Italy’s calabria region. The Irb was told that Mr. bruzzese also controls affiliates in canada and Australia.
In canada, he was described as a man “living in the shadows.” Although he owned property, had an Ontario driver’s license and lived with his wife, who is a canadian citizen, he drove a bMw that was registered in someone else’s name, received prescription medication in someone else’s name and held expensive property but filed no income tax returns.
In Italy, he is accused of being the boss of the mob clan based in Grotteria, calabria, and also of being a main conduit between the calabrian Mafia and the rizzuto crime family, which is a Sicilian-based Mafia clan and a dominant crime organization in canada. Mr. bruzzese is described in Italian court documents as having “deep connections” with the rizzuto inner circle.
cbSA’s counsel, Andrej rustja, said Mr. bruzzese’s international connections mean he would have access to “virtually unlimited” money to fund a fugitive life.
According to investigators in Italy, Mr. rustja told the Irb, Mr. bruzzese would likely flee to Venezuela or colombia where co-operative ‘Ndrangheta members are willing to help him.
“The ‘ Ndrangheta gives assistance to these fugitives. every member of ‘ Ndrangheta is to give assistance, help him, help his family, help him pay for his legal defence,” Mr. rustja said at the hearing. “It is a status symbol.”
barbara Jackman, Mr. bruzzese’s lawyer, said the government’s accusations are based on poor and incomplete translations of information from Italy.
She asked that Mr. bruzzese be release on a large financial bond offered by a number of relatives and friends in canada, including his wife, carla calabro, and his older brother, franco.
Ms. Jackman also said constant monitoring of a GPS tracker to be attached to his ankle would ensure he would not flee while waiting for his hearing.
Mr. Stratigopoulos, however, ruled that the alternative to detention was insufficient, saying that while the GPS might address concerns of him fleeing, it could not address concerns of him being a danger.
Although Mr. bruzzese is not a canadian citizen, he does have deep ties to canada. he obtained permanent resident status in 1974 but returned to Italy in 1977; his wife, son and daughter are all canadian citizens living in the Toronto area and he has five canadian-born grandchildren.
The hearing, however, was told that his son, carlo, was convicted in Italy, in absentia, of Mafia association and his daughter, Melina, married Antonio coluccio, who is a member of a notorious ‘Ndrangheta family in Italy. The Irb was told that Mr. bruzzese’s status within the mob was elevated by his link to the coluccio clan.
wearing a bright-orange prison jumpsuit and glasses, his silver hair cropped short and thinning on top, Mr. bruzzese sat passively through most of the hearing, listening and watching over a video link from prison in Lindsay, Ont. At one point he offered to miss his prison lunch so he could watch his proceedings.
After one session in which it looked a decision might be further delayed, he complained during a break in Italian, saying: “I don’t want to just sit here.”
he has no choice, for now. he will have another detention review hearing on Oct. 31 unless his full admissibility hearing is scheduled before then.