An investigative report explains how Juventus ultras came to be involved in a trial for alleged mafia ticket touting.
In July of 2016, a Bianconeri ultra, Raffaello Bucci, was found dead at the bottom of a viaduct in Fossano.
He had allegedly been involved in providing the ‘Ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia, with tickets sold on credit to the ultras by Juventus which were then sold on for a profit.
Club President Andrea Agnelli was interviewed as a witness by anti-mafia police but has never been charged with any knowing links with organised crime.
The FIGC banned Agnelli for a year, which was later reduced to three months on appeal, but that was simply for breaking ticket selling rules.
Tonight Rai’s ‘Report’ aired a special programme devoted to the case, which began with a Juve-Milan match in April 2013.
A banner in the Curva Sud reading ‘i Gobbi’ was taken by the Turin prosecutor to be a signal that the ‘Ndrangheta had infiltrated the Juve ultras.
The key man in the investigation was Rocco Dominello, the son of an alleged mafia boss, who is claimed to have started touting tickets.
Juventus, it is claimed, had for years known that the ultras were selling tickets after being provided them, though there is no suggestion that they knew the briefs were going to the ‘Ndrangheta.
Bucci had become involved in the ticket touting, and for two years his phone was tapped by investigators.
According to Report, there are just three hours of missing data - the hours before he died. That anomaly was due to a power surge in the severs at the prosecutor’s office.
Bucci had been given a role by the club in the year before his death.
When Bucci came under scrutiny from the investigation he is said to have become afraid, given that he was dealing with both the club and the ultras, as well as, allegedly, the ‘Ndrangheta.
While the official verdict on his autopsy was suicide, his former partner Gabriella Bernardis claims that “you could see he had been beaten” in the mortuary, while a family lawyer talked about a cut above his eye and other signs on his body that weren’t consistent with his fall from the viaduct.
There then followed a wiretap of former Juventus head of security, Alessandro D’Angelo, and former commercial director Francesco Calvo, who worked for Barcelona at the time.
D’Angelo tells Calvo “he’s dead”, and the former director replies “I know, I already knew”.
D’Angelo goes on to say that Bucci was “terrified yesterday”, fearing the ‘Ndrangheta would “kill him at any moment because he spoke with the prosecutors”.
The programme claims that neither man was interviewed by prosecutors about those statements.
Federico Ruffo, the host of the programme, is then shown pursuing former general manager Giuseppe Marotta to ask about the wiretap, but Marotta makes no comment.
Bucci had been co-operating with investigators, and 48 hours before his death sent a text to a redacted number stating that he was “in the ****”.
One common tactic used by the ‘Nrangheta to launder money is the Lotto and scratch cards, and Report states that Bucci won €3111 in a single day’s play, and €200,000 in total.
In the two days before he died, it’s claimed he won around €25,000, and all the receipts came from a tobacconist in Cuneo.
The tobacconist was contacted by Ruffo, who insisted that all of the winnings were legitimate, even when it was put to him that Bucci must have been “the luckiest man in Italy”.
Bucci’s phone contained records of the people being given tickets. Those tickets were allegedly supplied by Juventus, something which happens at almost every Italian club and which has never been denied.
However, the links between the ultras and the club came under intense scrutiny, with allegations former security manager Alessandro D’Angelo allowed offensive banners about Superga into the stadium for a derby with Torino, to prevent the Curva Sud going on strike.
The banners were hidden in backpacks and flasks to avoid detection. Agnelli knew negotiations were taking place with the fans, Report states, but didn’t know the banners would be allowed in.
However, his security manager did allegedly inform him the following day, which was not reported to the authorities.
D’Angelo is also alleged to have witnessed ticket touting outside of the stadium on match days and turned a blind eye.
What does not emerge from the programme is any evidence that the club was aware of ‘Ndrangheta infiltration of the ultras.
Selling tickets to ultras on credit is common practice in Italy, though it is against the rules.
One of those ultras spoke to Report, insisting "I don't think he [Bucci] commited suicide".
"Ciccio was stupid," the former Drughi member says. "He didn't need the money, and he knew very well what he was dealing with. Money is nice for anyone, even I arranged some things, but arranging something is one thing. It's another to have close contacts like he did, which creates a bond.
"That's where he went too far."