Episode 5

Fiction podcast · Inspired by real cases documented in Italy

BUSINESS AS UNUSUAL: Breaking free from extortion

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Excerpt

“Her own company? They never had problems. But that’s precisely because her dad paid : €5,000 cash every month, plus another €5,000 at Christmas. Basically, he funded the criminals.”

WHY THIS EPISODE

It looks at the economic entanglement of businesses with organized crime and the moral choice to resist.

TAKEAWAY

Company owners who refuse extortion often need to rely on collective action and institutional support.

SOURCES

This episode focuses on business owners who refuse extortion (the “pizzo”) and on civic responses such as local protests and anti‑racket initiatives. The items below document individual cases, media coverage, and NGO reports on extortion in Italy. The list is not exhaustive.

“Thriving mafia sucks hope from Italy’s struggling south” — Reuters — 25 May 2016
— International reporting on the broader economic and social impact of organized crime in southern Italy.
“Palermo, l’imprenditore Cottone: ‘I clan non fanno paura. Basta col pizzo’” — RaiNews / TGR Sicilia — 14 March 2022 —
— Regional TV report on entrepreneur Cottone speaking out against extortion in Brancaccio (Palermo); shows local denunciation and public appeal.
“Dice ‘no’ al racket, tentano di bruciargli l’azienda. Il coraggio di Herbert Catalano” — RaiNews / TGR Calabria — July 2023 —
— Regional coverage of Herbert Catalano, an entrepreneur who refused to pay the pizzo and suffered an arson attempt; documents risk, community reaction, and police involvement.
“Callipo: ‘Proiettili contro la mia azienda ma io denuncio perché penso ai miei 500 dipendenti’” — Corriere della Calabria — 17 January 2024 — Report and interview with Filippo Callipo about threats (including shots fired) and his decision to denounce extortion to protect employees; highlights the public role of larger local employers.
“The loneliness of those who denounce: lack of state support, threats, life under protection” — Editoriale Domani — 7 August 2023
— Essay on the isolation and institutional shortcomings faced by people who denounce extortion, with reflections on protection measures and social support.
“Domenico Morano, from collective denunciation to free enterprise in Calabria” — Editoriale Domani — 26 September 2023 —
— Profile of Domenico Morano and collective initiatives among business owners to resist extortion; useful for understanding community responses.

NGO reports and analytical resources

Libera (reports / dossiers) — 2020–2022 — Libera’s analyses and reports document extortion patterns, cases of resistance, and civil society support for denunciants; includes case studies and policy recommendations.

Addiopizzo (reports & guides) — 2019–2023 — https://www.addiopizzo.org/
— NGO resources on resisting the pizzo, legal guidance for businesses, and advocacy work; contains practical case studies and tools for entrepreneurs.

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