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June 16, 2020 Goods for 30 million euros were seized by the Dia of Palermo to Giovanni Pilo, 83 years old, a Palermo building contractor residing in Guidonia Montecelio, believed to be in close relationship with Cosa Nostra. Masino Buscetta also spoke of him. The measure was issued by the First Criminal and Prevention Measures Section of the Court of Palermo, chaired by Raffaele Malizia, on the proposal of the director of the Dia, General Giuseppe Governale, in agreement with the prosecutor Dario Scaletta, of the Prevention Measures Office , coordinated by Deputy Prosecutor Marzia Sabella.   

Giovanni Pilo, in 1976 and 1985, was subjected to special surveillance for serious indications of belonging to Cosa Nostra, on the basis of the connections established with Calogero D'Anna, a mafia member of the Terrasini family; of the relationships with the Gambino family, inserted in the gang of the Walnut, among other things for having married in 1974 Anna Gambino, sister of Giacomo Giuseppe, called "'u tignusu", head of the San Lorenzo mandate and therefore a member of the Provincial Commission of Palermo of Cosa Nostra; of the close relationships with Francesco Cina ', a mafia member of the San Lorenzo family, to whom a villa had been made available, in which was housed, among others, the then fugitive Leoluca Bagarella (as reported by the deceased mafia Leopoldo Di Trapani), and illegally detained arms and ammunition.

Furthermore, following the statements made by the collaborators of justice Tommaso Buscetta, Salvatore Contorno and Salvatore Anselmo, he was indicted for the maxi-trial and subsequently sentenced to 7 years in prison for participation in the mafia association.

The patrimonial investigations have allowed to reconstruct the professional career of Giovanni Pilo, deployed, during the second mafia war of the 80s, by the Corleonesi, who, winning results, chose to be joined also by construction builders for the control wild urbanization and the consequent start of speculative projects to the detriment of the Sicilian capital (the 'sack of Palermo').   

The investigations carried out also revealed a clear inequality between the income declared by Pilo with respect to the purchases made and the investments made for the business. This prompted the Prevention Tribunal to agree with Dia on the fact that the capital used was of illicit origin and consequently to order the seizure of its assets and those held by the spouse and son, prudently estimated at 30 million euros: entire share capital and related corporate compendium of 5 joint stock companies based in Rome; stakes in 2 joint stock companies, operating in the real estate and building construction sector; 2 hotels: one ready, in Ladispoli (Rm) and another, in Guidonia Montecelio, still being defined; 38 properties, some commercial premises and 4 land located between Palermo, Terrasini, San Vito lo Capo, Rome and Dello (Bs) and a large villa located in Mondello; 6 bank relationships and 5 life insurance policies.