logo
Mafia charges paint surprising picture of who killed whom in power struggles

Mafia charges paint surprising picture of who killed whom in power struggles

The charges filed in Thursday's roundup of significant organized crime figures on Thursday suggest past ties mean nothing during underworld power struggles.
The charge that stands out the most is one that accuses alleged Montreal Mafia leaders Leonardo Rizzuto, 56, and Stefano Sollecito, 57, of the first-degree murder of Lorenzo LoPresti, a man who was killed at his condo in the St-Laurent borough on Oct. 24, 2011.
Five other men are also charged with the first-degree murder of LoPresti, but Rizzuto's name is the one that stands out because he and LoPresti grew up on Antoine Bethelet Ave. — a roadway in northern Montreal that used to be known as Mafia Row — when they were much younger.
The tall, curly-haired LoPresti was the son of Giuseppe (Joe) LoPresti, who once made headlines for his arrest in a high-profile heroin smuggling trial in the U.S. Giuseppe LoPresti and Vito Rizzuto, Leonardo's father, were both from he same part of Sicily — Cattolica Eraclea — and while Vito Rizzuto rose to be the leader of the Montreal Mafia during the 1980s and '90s, Giuseppe LoPresti was killed in 1992 at age 44 in a homicide that remains unsolved.
According to court documents filed in an RCMP investigation dubbed Project Clemenza, it appeared to investigators that Lorenzo LoPresti decided to join a group of people tied to the Montreal Mafia who tried to take control of it from the Rizzutos.
The takeover failed when the opposing group developed differences of their own. Leonardo Rizzuto and Sollecito were also charged yesterday with plotting to kill men on opposite ends of the split, including Raynald Desjardins, a man who was once very close to Vito Rizzuto, and Salvatore Montagna, a Mafia leader from New York who tried to organize the efforts against the Rizzuto clan. Montagna ended up being killed on Nov. 24, 2011, in Charlemagne, just east of Montreal.
The list of men that Leonardo Rizzuto and Sollecito are alleged to have plotted to kill also includes; Giuseppe Renda, a man who vanished in 2012; Moreno Gallo, an Influential Montreal Mafia figure who was killed in Mexico in 2013; Antonio Vanelli, the intended target in a botched hit that took the life of Angelo D'Onofrio, an innocent man who was shot at the Café-Bar Hillside on Fleury St. in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough on June 2, 2016.
Another two men that Rizzuto and Sollecito are charged with plotting to kill are Joseph Dimaulo, a 70-year-old Montreal Mafia leader who was killed in 2012, and Antonio Pietrantonio, a man who survived two attempts on his life in 2011 and 2024.
Jean-Richard (Race) Larivière, 57, a member of the Hells Angels who was among the 11 people arrested on Thursday, is now charged with murdering men who were once part of the same biker gang as him.
Larivière had been a member of the Rockers, a Hells Angels support gang during Quebec's biker gang war, which stretched from 1994 to 2002, before he graduated to the Hells Angels by becoming a prospect member of a now defunct Nomads chapter based in Quebec.
On Thursday, Larivière was charged with the murders of Vincent Lamer and Sébastien Beauchamp, two men who were also members of the Rockers during the biker gang war. Lamer, who was introduced into the Rockers in 2000, was killed in Montreal during 2017 and Beauchamp, who became a full-patch member of the Rockers in 2000, was killed in 2018. Larivière was also charged on Thursday with the attempted murder of Jean-Guy Bourgouin, a founding member of the Rockers when it was created in 1992.
This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 6:01 PM.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bail hearing for Quebecers accused of terrorism
Bail hearing for Quebecers accused of terrorism

Montreal Gazette

time38 minutes ago

  • Montreal Gazette

Bail hearing for Quebecers accused of terrorism

QUEBEC — A bail hearing was underway Thursday for three men facing terrorism charges in an alleged anti-government plot to forcibly take over land in the Quebec City region. The Crown is opposing bail for Simon Angers-Audet, 24, Raphaël Lagacé, 25, and Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24. Lawyers for the three accused have requested a publication ban on details of the testimony provided to the court. An RCMP investigator spent most of the day testifying on the witness stand. The three accused are among four people arrested in July for allegedly trying to start an anti-government community north of Quebec City, and using a private Instagram account to recruit members. A fourth accused — Matthew Forbes, 33 — is facing weapons charges and was granted bail last week under a lengthy list of conditions that include wearing a GPS tracking bracelet. Angers-Audet, Lagacé and Chabot face charges of facilitating a terrorist activity, and other charges related to the illegal storage of firearms, and possession of explosives and prohibited devices. Forbes, who is not charged with terrorism, and Chabot are active members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

3rd B.C. man arrested in connection with Ontario businessman's murder
3rd B.C. man arrested in connection with Ontario businessman's murder

Global News

time2 hours ago

  • Global News

3rd B.C. man arrested in connection with Ontario businessman's murder

A third man from B.C. has been arrested in connection with a homicide in Mississauga, Ont. Harjeet Dhadda was shot dead in May outside his trucking business in Mississauga. He later died in the hospital. Two 21-year-old male suspects, Aman Aman and Digvijay Digvijay, were tracked to Delta, B.C., and with help from local police forces and the RCMP, both were arrested on May 28. Story continues below advertisement Peel Regional Police say the accused were transported back to Ontario to face the charges of first-degree murder. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy On July 15, with the assistance of the Delta police and the RCMP, Peel Regional Police arrested 22-year-old Shaheel in Surrey. He also lives in Delta and was returned to Ontario and charged with first-degree murder. 2:00 Two Delta men arrested in murder of 51-year-old Brampton man 'This has had a devastating impact on the victim's family and our community,' Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich with the Peel Regional Police said in a statement. 'This latest arrest reinforces our commitment to holding those responsible for targeting our community accountable, no matter where they are. We are grateful for the continued support of our policing partners in British Columbia, whose collaboration was vital in bringing another accused into custody.' Story continues below advertisement Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact the Homicide Bureau at 905-453-2121, ext. 3205. Anonymous information may also be submitted by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visiting

East Preston man wanted on provincewide warrant arrested: N.S. RCMP
East Preston man wanted on provincewide warrant arrested: N.S. RCMP

CTV News

time4 hours ago

  • CTV News

East Preston man wanted on provincewide warrant arrested: N.S. RCMP

Kirk Patrick Brown, 54, is seen in a photo released by the RCMP. (Source: RCMP) A 54-year-old East Preston, N.S., man who was wanted on a provincewide warrant has been arrested. Kirk Patrick Brown was wanted for two charges of failure to comply with a release order and has other charges before the court involving intimate partner violence. The RCMP did not indicate when or where Brown was arrested. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store