Francesco Fonti

Francesco Fonti (February 22, 1948 – December 5, 2012) was an Italian criminal and a member of the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type organisation in Calabria, who became a turncoat (pentito) collaborating with the authorities. He revealed radioactive waste dumping by the 'Ndrangheta.

He was initiated in the 'Ndrangheta in 1966 by Francesco Commisso in Siderno, the right-hand man of Antonio Macrì, the undisputed boss at the time. In 1975, Macrì was killed in the so-called First 'Ndrangheta war. Fonti moved to the Pelle-Romeo clan from San Luca, headed by Sebastiano Romeo. He reached the rank of vangelo.

He began as a drug courier, between Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, and was sentenced to 50 years in prison for drug trafficking. Since January 1994 he is a collaborator of justice (pentito). His testimony covered the role of the clans from San Luca in the 'Ndrangheta, the Second 'Ndrangheta war and the constitution of La Provincia, a provincial commission of the 'Ndrangheta formed at the end of the war in September 1991, to avoid further internal conflicts.

In 2005 Fonti revealed radioactive waste dumping by the 'Ndrangheta in the news magazine L'espresso. Fonti’s allegations, first made to prosecutors in 2003, included that at least 30 ships loaded with toxic waste, much of it radioactive, were sunk off the Italian coast. His statements led to widespread investigations into the radioactive waste disposal rackets.

Fonti personally sank three ships and identified a wreck located 28 kilometres off the coast of Cetraro, in Calabria, as MV Cunsky. He said he sank the ship himself in 1992, complete with 120 barrels of toxic and radioactive waste. He said the 'Ndrangheta received £100,000 for the job. Fonti had been put on the job by his boss Sebastiano Romeo in collaboration with Giuseppe Giorgi. Another 'Ndrangheta boss involved was Natale Iamonte who sank ships near Melito di Porto Salvo.

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