He Lent His Identity to Matteo Messina Denaro: 14-Year Sentence Finalized

The 14-year prison sentence of Andrea Bonafede, the surveyor from Campobello di Mazara who “lent” his identity to mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, has become final. The Court of Cassation confirmed the ruling of the Court of Appeal of Palermo, which found the defendant guilty of mafia association.

The mafia boss from Castelvetrano used the surveyor’s personal details—he is the nephew of local boss Leonardo Bonafede, a longtime ally of the Messina Denaro family—for the medical treatment he had to undergo during the final period of his time in hiding. By following the traces left by the patient, the Carabinieri’s ROS unit and prosecutors were able to capture the boss, who had been on the run for 38 years.

The apartment used by the boss during his last year in hiding and the car—purchased in Palermo with false documents—that he used to get around were registered in Bonafede’s name. Both the vehicle and the property have now been confiscated by the Prevention Measures Section of the Court of Trapani.