Florence, 27 June (LaPresse) – The Florence Review Court has ordered the preventive detention of Maria Concetta Riina and Antonino Ciavarello, respectively daughter and son-in-law of the late Cosa Nostra boss Salvatore Riina, who are under investigation for aggravated extortion using mafia methods and attempted aggravated extortion using mafia methods against two Tuscan entrepreneurs. The news was announced by the Florence Public Prosecutor's Office, explaining that it had appealed against the decision of the investigating magistrate who had rejected the request for preventive detention. The Review Court, on the other hand, considered that there was serious evidence of the suspects' guilt in relation to the offences alleged and the aggravating circumstance of using mafia methods, and affirmed that there was a real danger of contamination of evidence and of repetition of the offence. The events date back to August last year. The investigation, coordinated by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate and conducted by the Carabinieri Special Operations Group (ROS) of Florence, revealed that Maria Concetta Riina, in collusion with her husband, “repeatedly sent pressing, obsessive and threatening requests for money to the two entrepreneurs”, and 'the threatening requests for money had the desired effect, forcing one of the two entrepreneurs to hand over a sum of money to the suspect'. Antonino Ciavarello was in prison and, despite this, allegedly sent messages to his wife and one of the two entrepreneurs using a mobile phone. The Court of Review's order, the prosecutor's office explains, is not enforceable until the decision becomes final.
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