Hardcore supporters of Italy’s football giants Inter Milan and AC Milan were handed prison sentences of up to 10 years on Tuesday for offences including organised crime and murder, following an extensive investigation into the illegal activities of the notorious “ultra” fan groups.
All 16 defendants, tried under a fast-track legal process that began in March, were found guilty and collectively sentenced to a total of 90 years in prison. Their criminal activities largely revolved around matchday operations at the iconic San Siro stadium — ranging from ticket scalping and controlling parking to running concessions and illegally granting stadium access to fans without tickets.
One of the longest sentences was given to Andrea Beretta, a former leading figure among Inter’s ultras, who received 10 years for criminal conspiracy involving mafia methods, as well as the murder of fellow Inter ultra and mobster Antonio Bellocco. Beretta, who turned state witness, fatally stabbed Bellocco outside a boxing gym in a Milan suburb, shortly before police arrested 19 leading members of Inter and AC Milan’s ultra groups in September.
Bellocco’s killing caused particular shock due to his ties to the powerful ‘Ndrangheta mafia clan from Calabria, one of Italy’s most notorious organised crime syndicates. Beretta was also implicated in the 2022 murder of veteran ultra figure Vittorio Boiocchi, who was gunned down outside his home at the age of 69. Boiocchi’s killing sparked a power struggle within the Inter ultra hierarchy.
Following Boiocchi’s death, Beretta and fellow ultra Marco Ferdico—sentenced to eight years—strengthened their influence over Inter’s “Curva Nord” by leveraging Bellocco’s mafia connections, pushing out rival factions of far-right hooligans vying for control.
Meanwhile, leading AC Milan ultra Luca Lucci was sentenced to 10 years for criminal conspiracy and for orchestrating a 2019 attempted murder of rival fan Enzo Anghinelli. Lucci’s close associate, Daniele Cataldo, who was identified as the man who carried out the attack, received an identical sentence.
The fast-track trial, known in Italian law as “rito abbreviato”, allowed the court to rely solely on the prosecution’s evidence without full cross-examination, enabling a much quicker resolution than a standard trial. Separate proceedings began in February for three additional individuals arrested in September, including Luca Lucci’s brother, Francesco, who often stepped in to lead Milan’s ultras during Luca’s repeated legal troubles involving drug trafficking and violent assaults—one of which left an Inter supporter blind, leading to his eventual suicide.
Neither Inter Milan nor AC Milan faced charges related to the crimes. However, both clubs were recognised as injured parties and awarded €50,000 each as civil claimants in the case.
