In a killing reminiscent of Corleone-style mafia hits of the past, police in Palermo, Italy have discovered the burned bodies of Cosa Nostra mobsters … from Canada. Two members of the Canadian mafia involved in a turf war to the north – Juan Ramon Paz Fernandez and Fernando Pimentel — were found killed in a garbage dump in Italy after an anonymous tip. According to police, the executions were an “old-fashioned” hit.
Fernandez, 57, was famed as an enforcer for the Rizzuto family in Montreal. Called Joey Bravo in Canada, Fernandez helped the Rizzuto family build a criminal syndicate in Canada during the 1980s. Rizzuto was doing hard time when his gang rivals took out his father and son. His son was placed in a gold coffin, then paraded around Montreal’s Little Italy before his burial.
Rizzuto was tossed from Canada in 2012 after doing a ten-year stretch for conspiracy to murder. That was his third deportation. He showed up in Palermo, joined up with the Cosa Nostra to help create a drug pipeline to Canada, and then was joined by Pimentel.
Italian police believe that Fernandez’s killing was ordered from on high in Canada. Pietro and Salvatore Scudato have been arrested and booked for the murders of Fernandez and Pimentel. Both brothers have mafia connections, and the elder brother, Pietro, worked for Rizzuto at one point.
Both bodies were found shortly after 21 mafiosos working with the Bagheria family were arrested. Fernandez had been working with them. Along with the arrests came seizures of some €30 million.
The police are also investigating a local mayor for mob ties.
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