فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Casablanca – November 20, 2025
Italian media sources, such as the newspaper “Corriere della Sera,” announced the arrest by Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie elements in the city of Casablanca of a prominent Italian mafia boss named Patrizio Forniti, known by the alias “Il Gatto” (The Cat) and “Capo dei Capi” (Boss of Bosses), and his wife Monica Montanaro, on November 14, 2025, after an international manhunt that had been ongoing since July 3, 2024.
According to media reports, Forniti was classified as a “dangerous fugitive” by Italian authorities, with a preliminary court ruling issued against him by the Rome Court on charges of extortion and mafia association, particularly within the framework of the notorious “Aprilia” criminal family in the Italian region of Lazio. As for his wife, she faces an international arrest warrant on similar charges, including involvement in extortion activities and money laundering. The couple had been living in Morocco under false identities using Swiss passports, which facilitated their concealment for several months.
The arrest came pursuant to an international arrest warrant issued by the Italian Court in Rome, as part of a joint operation between the Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie and Italian security agencies, including the Financial Police and special units. Sources confirmed that the operation took place in a quiet neighborhood in Casablanca, where the fugitives were attempting to blend into daily life away from scrutiny. They were apprehended with forged documents and evidence indicating their continued communication with European criminal networks.
This arrest is considered a major success in international security cooperation, especially in combating organized crime and the Italian mafia, which often uses Morocco as a safe haven for fugitives. In a similar context, Moroccan authorities had previously arrested Italian mafia leaders, such as a member of “La Camorra” in 2019 in Tangier, reflecting ongoing efforts to combat international criminal networks. Currently, the couple is being held in a security facility in Casablanca pending extradition proceedings to Italy, where they will face a final trial that could result in severe penalties up to life imprisonment.
