Ernesto Fazzalari (; born September 16, 1969, in

Taurianova Taurianova is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the southern Italian region Calabria, located about southwest of Catanzaro and about northeast of Reggio Calabria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1 ...

) is an Italian criminal and a member of the

'Ndrangheta The 'Ndrangheta (, , ) is a prominent Italian Mafia-type organized crime syndicate and secret society, criminal society based in the peninsular and mountainous region of Calabria and dating back to the late 18th century. It is considered one of ...

, a Mafia-type organisation in

Calabria , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

Biography

Fazzalari was born in

, a town at about 40 km northeast of

Reggio Calabria Reggio di Calabria ( scn, label= Southern Calabrian, Riggiu; el, label= Calabrian Greek, Ρήγι, Rìji), usually referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the largest city in Calabria. It has an estimated popul ...

. He belongs to the Zagari-Fazzalari

'ndrina The 'ndrina (, plural: ; , plural: ) is the basic unit of the 'Ndrangheta of Calabria, made up of blood relatives, and is the equivalent of the Sicilian Mafia’s "family" or ''cosca''.Varese, How Mafias Migrate'Gratteri & Nicaso ''Fratelli di ...

, which he heads together with Carmelo Zagari.Clan di Taurianova, la Cassazione dà ragione a Zagari, Fazzolari e Crea
Corriere di Calabria, December 21, 2012 Fazzalari is engaged with Rosa Zagaria. The clan controls all land transactions in the area of Taurianova. From 1989-1991 the clan was involved in a bloody feud with the rival Asciutto-Neri-Grimaldi

, which left 32 dead in Taurianova in a few years.Killer della faida di Taurianova
, Il Quotidiano, November 25, 2009 Fazzalari was a fugitive from June 1996 to June 2016 and was wanted for serious crimes like murder, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, armed robbery and Mafia association. He has been included on the

list of most wanted fugitives in Italy The list of most wanted fugitives in Italy is a most wanted list published by the Italian Interior Ministry. It includes criminals who are considered extremely dangerous by the Polizia di Stato. The list was started in July 1992. There are also lis ...

.Fazzalari Ernesto
, Direzione centrale della Polizia Criminale - Programma Speciale di Ricerca In 1999, Fazzalari was put on

trial in absentia Trial in absentia is a criminal proceeding in a court of law in which the person who is subject to it is not physically present at those proceedings. is Latin for "in (the) absence". Its meaning varies by jurisdiction and legal system. In comm ...

and received a life sentence for his role in the Taurianova feud. In January 2004, the Carabinieri found the hide-out of Fazzalari, an underground bunker under a farmhouse near Taurianova with a tunnel that ended in the woods. Fazzalari was not found, but his two assistants were arrested. In the "five star" bunker police found exquisite wines and champagne, as well as Cuban cigars.Latitanti, un altro covo a cinque stelle
Gazetta del Sud, January 19, 2004 Fazzalari was arrested on June 26, 2016, near Molochio, not far from his criminal feud in

.Italy hails mafia killer's arrest as historic
The Local, 26 June 2016

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fazzalari Ernesto 1969 births Fugitives Living people 'Ndranghetisti 'Ndranghetisti sentenced to life imprisonment People from the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria People from Taurianova Prisoners and detainees of Italy