ROME- In a recurring pattern, another journalist denouncing the mafia’s criminal and commercial activity received death threats from mob bosses. Paolo Borrometi, the journalist in question, wrote about the illegal activities of the Ventura family from Vittoria, in Sicily.  In particular, he revealed the inner workings of an apparently legal business they own, a funeral parlour, which acts as a dummy company.

Borrometi received the threats via Facebook, from the official page of the Ventura’s funeral parlour, owned by Gianbattista Ventura, who is the brother of the current boss of the family, according to the annual report of the Italian national antimafia agency.

The threats included, “I will be your worst nightmare”, “You touch what is mine and I will make you sing Ave Maria in Sicilian” and “Paolo Borrometi is a dead man”, all sent because Borometi divulged secret information. Borrometi is no stranger to mafia intimidation, having received similar death threats from other local families. He has also been living under police protection for a year. Nonetheless, authorities and Borrometi are not underestimating the violent threats, which were published publically by a very powerful mafia member.

According to journalist Falcone, Borrometi has only done his report to inform the public of the truth of the Ventura family’s “legal” businesses by investigating the capital and economic activities of the mafia group, whose boss is serving time in prison. However, this untiring persecution of the mafia’s illicit activities is something that mafia groups try to silence: according to Falcone, the distribution of information in Italy is an annoyance to the mafia.

The Rome press have expressed solidarity to their fellow journalist and to Borrometi’s family, and ask that the authorities do not take lightly these threats, and ensure that the journalist’s life is not jeopardised so he can continue his work without fear.