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Balotelli questioned for possible mafia links

Comment: 0 September 8th, 2011 by: admin

Italian authorities are launching an investigation on Manchester City bad boy Mario Balotelli’s possible links to the local mafia.

According to reports, the investigations stem from reports that the 20-year old striker had gone on a tour of an area of Naples known as a stronghold of the Camorra, the local mafia.

Scampia, the area Balotelli visited, is said to be a dangerous area teeming with activity from the Camorra, with drug dealing being the most prominent.

Authorities stated that their main goal in questioning Balotelli is not to convict him for any felonies, but merely to gather information on who gave him the tour of the area.

The striker is scheduled to appear as a witness before prosecutors on September 15. The proceedings are said to be part of an ongoing probe into the region’s mafia activity.

Information on Balotelli’s visit to the area was leaked to the police by an unnamed source, who added that the tour was headed by two individuals, Biagio Esposito and Salvatore Silvestri, both suspected of being Camorra godfathers.

Other reports on the incident described Balotelli to have been touring the area ‘as though it was Disney World.’

Responding, the striker insisted that there were no reasons for suspicion.

‘There is nothing to worry about.  I am calm,’ he said.  ‘I had no idea who the people were showing me around Scampia.’

‘There were loads of people around me,’ Balotelli continued.  ‘I’m sad the effects this may have on my family.  I just wanted to see what the area was like as I had seen it in the film Gomorrah.’

Mino Raiola, the striker’s agent, supported the statements by insisting that Balotelli had never had any connection or involvement with organised crime.

‘All that I know for sure is that Balotelli has never had any kinds of ties with organised crime,’ he said.  ‘Certainly he didn’t know that the people he was with were connected to the mob.’

Reports of Balotelli’s visit to Scampi garnered criticism from members of the church.

‘This episode is offensive,’ said Father Aniello Manganiello, ‘and will only make the Camorra more powerful.’

Born in Sicily and put up for adoption by an Italian family, Balotelli had in the past exhibited behaviour suggestive of some level of involvement with organised crime.

Most recently, he had reportedly had a tattoo of a gun drawn around five characters – supposedly a symbol to warn members of the mafia not to hurt his family.

‘It’s a Mafia warning,’ the striker explained.  ‘It means if anyone touches my family, they will pay.’

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