Cortina d'Ampezzo: A criminal group linked to Lazio's "Irriducibili" (Irridubilis) has been busted. The group attempted to infiltrate contracts for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

A criminal network that, through drug dealing, violence and extortion, was trying to get its hands on the Cortina nightlife and infiltrate public works for the Winter Olympics.Milano-Cortina 2026” was dismantled by the Carabinieri of Cortina d'Ampezzounder the coordination of District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Venice.
The operation, called "RESET", led to the issuance of three precautionary measures against an equal number of defendants, held responsible – in various capacities – for extortion aggravated by the mafia method (art. 416 bis.1 cp) and complicity in drug dealing.

Operation "RESET": A criminal network between Rome and Cortina d'Ampezzo has been dismantled.

At dawn today, the Carabinieri of the Cortina d'Ampezzo Company, supported by Investigative Units of Belluno and Rome, they executed an order of the GIP of Venice in the charge of three people:

• a subject transferred to prison;
• another under house arrest;
• and a third subjected to the obligation to reside in the capital.

At the same time, they were searches were carried out on four additional suspects involved in the same criminal circuit.
The investigation is the result of an investigation launched in June 2024, in turn linked to a 2022 anti-drug activity by the Belluno ordinary prosecutor's office.

Investigations have revealed the existence of a structured and dangerous group, composed of two Roman brothers – already known to the police – linked to the ultras fringe of the SS Lazio's "Indomitables", and by a third man who formally ran a company with registered office in Rome, used as a front for illicit activities.

From football pitches to organized crime: the links to "Diabolik"

The two brothers, indicated by the investigators as the real promoters of the association, boasted direct relations with exponents of Roman crime, among which Fabrizio Piscitelli, Alias “Diabolik”, historic leader of the Lazio ultras killed in an ambush in Rome in 2019.
According to the Venice Prosecutor's Office, the two men they used their membership in the ultras fringe as a mark of intimidation and a guarantee of "criminal calibre", flaunting connections with Roman criminal circles to establish themselves on the local scene in Cortina.

In recent years, they had been regularly visiting the Ampezzo area, especially during the Christmas period, where they had begun to build a drug dealing network and control the territoryA collaborator of justice confirmed to the magistrates the constant presence of the two men and their growing economic interest in the tourist resort.

Three phases of conquest: drugs, clubs and the Olympics

The group's activity developed according to a three-stage criminal plan, typical of mafia organizations:

1. Control of drug dealing.
   The two brothers had built a network of local drug dealers, imposing their hegemony through violence and threats. "Unauthorized" dealers were attacked, while insolvent users were beaten or kidnapped. In one incident, a victim was locked in the trunk of a car and threatened with death.
2. Infiltration into the nightlife venues of Cortina.
   Through a shell company registered in Rome, the group acquired control of clubs and discos, imposing by force Complacent PRs, DJs and bouncersThe goal was twofold: to manage the night business and monitor drug dealing in the premises under its own influence.
   There was no shortage of threats: in one case, a restaurateur who owned a well-known refuge was forced with intimidation and violence to entrust the organization of events to the network of Roman brothers.
3. Attempts to infiltrate Olympic procurement.
   The final phase of the criminal plan aimed to enter the procurement circuit for Milano-Cortina 2026The suspects had tried to approach a member of the municipal council, proposing an alleged “electoral support” in exchange for future assignments in pre-Olympic works.
   After the elections, they would have sent threatening messages to the politician, claiming the assignment of works which however was never granted.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, this escalation demonstrates the clear will of the group to transform into a mafia-style organization, based on subjugation, economic control and systematic intimidation.

Beatings, threats, and violence: terror in the "Cortina d'Ampezzo"

The episodes collected by the investigators outline a scenario of fear and submission in the heart of the pearl of the Dolomites.
Among the most serious documented cases:

• the beating of two employees of a restaurant and a hotel, punished because they were considered to be "off-the-grid" drug dealers;
• the attack on an event organizer, dragged in a frozen forest and threatened with a gun, forced to interrupt its activity and hand over the proceeds;
• le death threats to a local entrepreneur, owner of a shelter-restaurant, forced to hand over control of events to the criminal group.

According to the DDA, the group's operating methods reflect a typically mafia method, based on violence, fear and a display of power, with the aim of creating a climate of submission among local economic operators.

The investigations: wiretaps, stalking, and the victims' trust

The “RESET” investigation lasted over a year and was developed thanks to a complex intelligence and interception activities conducted by the Carabinieri of Cortina, in close collaboration with the Venice Prosecutor's Office.
Investigators have installed hidden cameras, bugs and tracking systems to monitor the movements and contacts of the suspects. At the same time, data were collected decisive testimonies from victims and witnesses.

Many citizens, business owners and local administrators – initially reluctant to report for fear of retaliation – have decided to collaborate with the investigators once summoned by the Carabinieri, detailing the pressures and threats he suffered.
Their depositions had a crucial value to confirm the structure of the gang and reconstruct the system of intimidation widespread throughout the territory.

The Venice Department of Public Health: "A strong signal from the state ahead of the Olympics."

La District Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office of Venice he underlined the gravity of the facts, highlighting how the attempted infiltration into the Olympic contracts represents a direct threat to transparency and security of public investments for the 2026 Winter Games.

DDA sources reiterated that investigations continue, also to verify any further complicity or connections with criminal groups operating in Lazio and other Italian regions.

The police have launched an appeal to the population:

Anyone with knowledge of incidents or information relevant to the investigation is encouraged to contact the Carabinieri or the Judiciary. Citizen cooperation is essential to thwart any attempts at mafia influence in the Ampezzo area.

Armored curtain: the State defends its Olympic showcase

Operation “RESET” comes at a delicate moment for Cortina d'Ampezzo, busy with preparations for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, an event that will attract millions of visitors and huge investments.
The DDA and the Carabinieri confirm their will to prevent any criminal infiltration in construction sites, in contracts and in the local economic fabric, reaffirming that the "pearl of the Dolomites" it will not become a land of conquest for the mafia.

The investigation sends a clear message of legality: the State is present, vigilant, and determined to defend Italy's integrity before the world.