Italian police have arrested a Catholic nun, Sister Anna Donelli, along with 24 others, including two politicians, in connection with a mafia investigation. The arrests were made in several towns across northern Italy, including Lombardy, Veneto, and Calabria. Italian law enforcement officials allege that the group was involved in a network of extortion, drug trafficking, and money laundering.
According to police statements, Sister Donelli, 57, who volunteers at Milan’s San Vittore prison, allegedly acted as a go-between for the ‘Ndrangheta mafia and its jailed gang members. Investigators claim that she leveraged her position as a volunteer at the prison to facilitate communication between the mafia and its members behind bars.
Law enforcement officials stated that her religious role granted her “free access to penitentiary facilities,” which she allegedly exploited to facilitate communication between jailed mafia members and the wider criminal network.
According to the Brescia Carabinieri, Sister Anna was an “unsuspecting figure,” whose position within the church masked her alleged involvement in criminal activities.
The arrests occurred in the northern city of Brescia as part of a four-year investigation into the operations of the ‘Ndrangheta, one of Europe’s most dangerous criminal organizations. Raids were conducted in several towns across the Lombardy and Veneto regions in northern Italy, as well as in Calabria, the mafia’s place of origin in southern Italy. Police seized assets valued at over €1.8 million (£1.5 million) during the raids.
The ‘Ndrangheta is considered one of Europe’s most influential and dangerous criminal organizations, originating from the impoverished region of Calabria. In November last year, over 200 people were sentenced to a total of more than 2,200 years in jail in one of Italy’s biggest mafia trials in generations.
A press release from local police stated that two local politicians were among those arrested, although their names were not disclosed. Reports suggest that one of the politicians is from Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy party, while the other is a member of the League led by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.
Investigators have also uncovered allegations that the mafia network used scrap metal trading businesses as a front to launder illicit funds. Prosecutors estimate that approximately €12 million in cash was funneled through these operations.
