Francesco Matrone: ‘Most Wanted’ Italian mobster dead at 76

Francesco Matrone, a once notorious Italian Camorrista, passed away on October 5, 2023, at the age of 76.

His criminal legacy spanned decades, earning him a place on Italy’s “most wanted list” for murder in 2007 and various other organized crime charges.

In the 1980s, Matrone was the trusted right-hand man of Carmine Alfieri, the former godfather of the Nuova Famiglia. After the group’s dissolution, Matrone rose to lead one of the most powerful clans in the Province of Salerno.

Matrone’s ruthless reputation was solidified with two life sentences for a double homicide. Under his leadership, the Loreto-Matrone clan, also involving Pasquale Loreto, was implicated in money laundering activities across Salerno, with restaurants and bars serving as fronts.

Remarkably, Matrone had a soft spot for animals, particularly dogs. During his arrest in a rural hideout, he requested that his son care for the dogs he kept on the premises.

Although his clan’s influence had waned compared to its heyday in the 1990s, Matrone’s criminal legacy remained a dark chapter in Italy’s history.

Matrone’s death marks the end of a long and notorious criminal career.