Vito Ciancimino
| Vito Ciancimino | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Mayor of Palermo | |
|
In office November 1970 – April 1971 |
|
| Preceded by | Salvatore Lima |
| Succeeded by | Giacomo Marchello |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
2 April 1924 Corleone, Sicily, Italy |
| Died | 19 November 2002 (aged 78) Rome, Lazio, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Political party | Christian Democracy |
| Spouse(s) | Epifania Silvia Scardino |
| Children | Massimo Ciancimino |
| Residence | Palermo, Italy |
| Profession |
Politician Mafioso |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Nickname(s) | ù Sindaco |
Vito Alfio Ciancimino (April 2, 1924 – November 19, 2002) was an Italian politician close to the Mafia leadership who became notorious for enriching himself and his associates by corruptly granting planning permission. An abrasive personality, he served briefly as mayor of Palermo, Sicily as a Christian Democrat. Ciancimino was close to Mafia boss and perennial fugitive Bernardo Provenzano, but regarded Salvatore Riina as irrational. In the aftermath of Mafia bomb outrages in the 1990s, Ciancimino was contacted by Carabinieri Colonel Mario Mori, but the content of the discussions is disputed. Ciancimino is said to have alleged a list of demands from 'boss of bosses' Salvatore Riina. As his price for halting attacks was passed on, charges were brought against Mori, who maintained there had been no list, that his contacts with Ciancimino were aimed at combating the Mafia, and that he had disclosed little beyond implicitly admitting he knew Mafia members.
Ciancimino was born in Corleone, a village that became notorious for its powerful Mafia gang, the Corleonesi. Ciancimino's father had lived in America and got a job as interpreter to occupying US forces at the end of WW2. He used the contacts to build up various business enterprises and Vito grew up in what in Corleone was a relatively prosperous home. He was hired to teach Bernardo Provenzano maths early, and had other contacts with fellow townsmen who were to become Mafia bosses in later life. He studied engineering at University of Palermo but did not complete his degree. As a Christian Democrat politician, he became a protégé of Bernardo Mattarella, who supported his political and financial career. In 1950 Ciancimino obtained concessions for all railway transport inside Palermo. The three other firms that had made a bid were put out of the game, because Ciancimino's bid was accompanied by a letter of Mattarella, who was then Minister of Transports. This set the pattern for his career, which consisted of cutting deals to loot public assets for the benefit of himself and associates.,
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