https://www.corrieredellacalabria.i...ola-di-briatico-i-racconti-di-accorinti/THE INVESTIGATION
'Ndrangheta, the power of the Mellusos and the "bribes to Barbieri" for the school of Briatico. Accorinti's stories
The repentant in one of the many reports given to the DDA of Catanzaro. «Niglia had given me money to get votes from me and my family»
Published: 05/02/2025 – 14:25
VIBO VALENTIA Confirms all the accusations made in the “Costa Pulita” proceedings, a blitz by the Catanzaro District Anti-Mafia Commission, starting with the fictitious ownership of a tourist village. «As for the shooting of Barillari's car, I didn't do it, but I am the instigator. I am aware of the wounding inflicted by Marchese». The speaker is the collaborator of justice Antonio Accorinti (born in 1980), son of the alleged boss Antonio. His statements are contained in a series of reports dating back to 2023.
The fire at the agency
In particular, in a report dated May 19, 2023, Accorinti explained before the prosecutors of the Catanzaro District Anti-Mafia Office: «I can report on the fire at the village set by Antonino Tedesco on behalf of the Mellusos. I would like to point out that I am very good friends with Simone Melluso and the reason was that he wanted Trimboli to pay him the bribe». And again: «I know about the fire at Antonino Staropoli's agency. There was an argument and Simone Melluso set it on fire, also risking hurting himself». In this regard, during his statements, Accorinti clarified: «Antonino Staropoli, at least until 2015, was part of the Melluso group and not of the Mancusos as I had mistakenly said. The fire had been started by Simone Melluso to make him understand that he had to stay with them and not go near the Bonavitas, with whom he was also related and had begun to frequent more assiduously». Furthermore, always according to Accorinti's story, «Simone Melluso slapped Giovanni Sicari in front of me, after seeing him in the company of Gregorio Niglia, making him go and call Antonino Tedesco, Giovanni Sicari's brother-in-law».
The extortion for Niglia's votes
Antonio Accorinti then reports on the extortion against the school «carried out by Andrea Niglia» . «I know because there were elections and I was given money by Niglia himself and Massara to get votes from me and my family. I can also report the extortion underway on Briatico Vecchio and on the damage to Safò bay. I am aware of the fact that a cleaning company in Lamezia was the victim of an extortion that I don't know if it was successful». And again: «I also know of the owner of a restaurant in Zungri, who in past years had sent 500 euros for the prisoners and had given them to Giuseppe Armando Bonavita. I know for sure that the company for which he made these supplies, in this case solar panels, gave the bribe to Francesco Barbieri». "This individual, in addition to the restaurant business, also has an air conditioning company that also supplies and installs solar panels and, in relation to the contract for the elementary school in Briatico, I know that he paid these 500 euros to Giuseppe Armando Bonavita. Also with regard to the construction of this school building, I know that the company in charge of the construction work, whose name I do not know, paid money to Francesco Barbieri."
«The Prestias took orders from the Mellusos»
During his statements, Accorinti explains in detail a theft «a bicycle stolen from the body shop in San Leo di Briatico, a few months before my arrest, when the brother-in-law of the latter had gone to Briatico to visit a friend». The vehicle «was made to be found by Riccardo Melluso on my behalf. I had learned of this theft because, the next day, everyone was discussing it inside a pastry shop», explains the repentant. «I considered Landro a friend, he was a good guy who lent the vehicle to his brother-in-law to go to work, so I instructed Riccardo Melluso to see if it was the “pastorari”, or the Prestias, and, if so, to have it returned and bring it back to the owner», Accorinti continued. Then the repentant says he met Landro and told him about the theft. «I told him that the one who stole his bike was Andrea Prestia, a client of his, for whom, as with all of us, he used to do small jobs without getting paid» . «Prestia returned the bike to Melluso without opposing him in any way because the first one's family is under the Melluso family, I mean on a criminal level, they take orders from them». ( g.curcio@corrierecal.it )
