Italian officials are working to extradite a man from Vaughan, Ontario, who was found guilty of charges related to the Mafia and given a six-year prison sentence in his absence.
Carlo Bruzzese, 41, was taken into custody on April 22 in Woodbridge.
According to a spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service, he was apprehended by members of the Fugitive Squad “on the strength of an arrest warrant issued under the Canadian Extradition Act.”
Bruzzese “is sought by Italy to serve a six-year prison sentence for the offence of taking part in a mafia-type association called the ‘Ndrangheta,’” as stated by a representative from Canada’s Department of Justice.
He is set to appear before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto on Aug. 5.
Ontario Superior Court The Ontario Superior Court in Toronto is photographed on May 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
A lawyer representing Bruzzese informed CP24 that his client intends to challenge the extradition.
“What I can confirm is that I am retained and that we will be vigorously contesting whether or not there is any basis for our client to be committed for the purpose of extradition to Italy,” Michael Lacy said.
Bruzzese’s father Carmelo was deported from Canada in 2015 after the Immigration and
Refugee Board of Canada determined that he was “fully integrated into the ‘Ndrangheta,’ having gained recognition and prominence in the group and occupying a rather influential or responsible place therein.”
Court records regarding that case mentioned that Carlo Bruzzese had been previously charged with Mafia-association under Italian law for “being part of the Grotteria Locale of the ‘Ndrangheta.’”
“He was considered to be an active participant in the locale, responsible for ensuring communication between the members, participating in meetings, carrying out the organization’s directives, and respecting the hierarchy in place,” stated the tribunal at that time.
A spokesperson for Italy’s government declined to explain why extradition proceedings are happening now and told CP24 that it does “not have any comments at this stage.”
With files from /CP24’s Jermaine Wilson
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