As Italy's Banks Tighten Lending, Desperate Firms Call on the Mafia

As Italy's Banks Tighten Lending, Desperate Firms Call on the Mafia

www.washingtonpost.com

Many experts say organized crime is already the biggest business in Italy. Now, Fara said, the untaxed underground economy is growing even larger. "Certainly I am worried," he said. "The banking system doesn't work, and the private one that is operating is often managed by organized crime." The consequences for Italy and its 58 million people are huge, Fara said: "Stronger organized crime means a weaker state."

Nino Miceli, an adviser to Confesercenti, said the Mafia's goal is to take over the struggling businesses. When the loans, typically at interest rates in triple digits, are not repaid, the threats of violence begin, and restaurants, grocery stores and bars become the property of criminal gangs.

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[edit on 3-3-2009 by DimensionalDetective]

Not to fret Italy, at least you can GET loans, even if from a crime family.

Here, our two-party crime family---The U.S. Gov---only seems to issue the money out to people who are ALREADY filthy rich, while everyone else's businesses are going under.

Other than that, both of our countries are ran by organized crime families, so I guess we share a common bond.

lol

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(visit the link for the full news article)

You know, at least if your business gets into bed with these families the families will have a vested interest in keeping you viable. Not to mention probably more effective street crime deterrent and justice system.

May I remind you that the name Bank of Italy was later changed to Bank of America and that the same banksters, Mafiosa, still run it, and all the other bank scams here? And all presided over by the British Mafia called the Federal Reserve! So do you have the gangsters 'officially' run the country, or under more lax deception called the Mafia? At least here, we can pretend that it is all legitimate.