Felice Maniero | |
|---|---|
 Felice Maniero in Italy in '80. | |
| Born | Felice Maniero September 2, 1954 Campolongo Maggiore, Italy |
| Criminal charge(s) | Bank robbery, murder, assault, assault of an officer, grand theft auto |
| Criminal penalty | Imprisonment from 1995 to 2010 |
| Spouse | Agostina Rigato (divorced) |
| Children | Elena Maniero (deceased), Alessandro Biselli |
Felice Maniero (born September 2, 1954) is a former Italian crime boss who was the head of the Mala del Brenta, a criminal organisation based in the region of Veneto throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His nickname is Faccia d'Angelo ("Angel Face"),[1] which he shares with the Milanese mobster Francis Turatello and Camorra boss Edoardo Contini. He was born at Campolongo Maggiore, in the province of Venice. Originally the leader of a small band of thieves, through connections with Sicilian mafiosi in exile in Veneto he was able to expand and enlarge his organization and modeled it after the mafia. He was a prolific drug trafficker and was particularly notorious for taking part in many armed robberies, some with extremely high loots.
In February, 1995, Maniero became a pentito (collaborator with Italian Justice), and subsequently helped in dismantling his organization. However, Maniero allegedly continued a number of criminal activities while many of his former henchmen re-organised the Mala del Brenta in order to ensure its survival.