The Most Famous Sicilian Mafia Bosses

The Sicilian mafia, known as Cosa Nostra, has been responsible for some of the most brutal crimes in Italy’s history.

Like the Calabrian ’Ndrangheta, it has produced notorious figures whose names are synonymous with violence, corruption, and fear.

Below are five of the most infamous Sicilian mafia bosses.

1. Salvatore “Totò” Riina (1930–2017)

Nicknames: “La belva” (The Beast), “Il capo dei capi” (The Boss of Bosses)

Role: Riina led the Corleonesi faction of the Cosa Nostra and took control of the organization during the 1980s.

Crimes: He ushered in a period of extreme violence, including the assassinations of anti-mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino in 1992. He defied traditional mafia codes by ordering hits on women and children and allegedly operated a private execution chamber.

Arrest: Riina was captured in 1993 after decades on the run and sentenced to multiple life sentences. He died in prison in 2017, one day after his 87th birthday.

2. Bernardo Provenzano (1933–2016)

Nickname: “Binnu u Tratturi” (Bernie the Tractor)

Role: Provenzano succeeded Riina as the head of Cosa Nostra in the 1990s and adopted a lower-profile strategy to avoid detection.

Crimes: He was deeply involved in extortion, drug trafficking, and numerous murders.

Arrest: After 43 years as a fugitive, Provenzano was arrested in a rural Sicilian farmhouse in 2006. He died in custody ten years later.

3. Giovanni Brusca (1957–)

Nickname: “U Verru” (The Pig)

Role: Though not a boss, Brusca was a trusted killer for the Corleonesi clan.

Crimes: He personally triggered the bomb that killed judge Giovanni Falcone and admitted to murdering between 100 and 200 people.

Arrest: Brusca was arrested in 1996. He later became a key witness and was released on parole in 2021.

4. Tommaso Buscetta (1928–2000)

Nickname: “Don Masino”

Role: A high-ranking mafioso who later became the first major pentito (informant) to break the Mafia’s code of silence.

Crimes: He was involved in international drug trafficking and multiple criminal operations.

Arrest: Captured in Brazil in 1983 and extradited to Italy, Buscetta provided testimony that led to the historic Maxi Trial. He lived under witness protection in the U.S. until his death in 2000.

5. Matteo Messina Denaro (1962–2023)

Nickname: “Diabolik”

Role: Successor to Riina and Provenzano, Denaro was Italy’s most wanted mafia boss for nearly three decades.

Crimes: He was tied to multiple murders, including the abduction and murder of a 12-year-old boy to silence a witness.

Arrest: Arrested in early 2023 at a private clinic in Palermo. He died months later from colon cancer while in custody.

The Cosa Nostra Today

Once the most powerful criminal syndicate in Italy, Cosa Nostra has been surpassed in influence by the Calabrian ’Ndrangheta.

Yet, it remains one of Italy’s four major mafia organizations, alongside the Camorra and Sacra Corona Unita.

Though weakened, its hierarchical structure and secretive leadership commission—the Cupola—still exert control.

This article is based on information from Esquire.