Brother of Mafia boss sues Canada immigration
September 11 2009 by Mark Johnstone
Mafia boss Guiseppe Coluccio
The brother of a Mafia boss, who was deported from Canada to Italy, is taking legal action against the government after his family’s Canada visa applications were turned down.
Antonio Coluccio, 39, who himself has been suspected of criminal activities, has been waiting five years for Canada immigration officials to approve his request for permanent residency for him, his wife and four children.
In that five years, Coluccio has seen two of his brothers arrested in Canada. Guiseppe was arrested in Toronto at the request of Italian authorities, while the other brother, Salvatore, was found hiding in a secret bunker in Italy trying to evade capture from Italian police.
Both brothers were charged for their involvement in a large drug trafficking scheme and being key members of a Mafia organisation based in southern Italy.
Coluccio’s lawyer. Mendel Green, said: "His brother is very famous - infamous - and I understand the concern of the government."
"But [Antonio] has never been arrested. He is not a criminal. He is totally innocent of everything. Is someone responsible for his family's conduct? Not in this country."
Antonio Coluccio's wife, Melina, is a Canadian citizen and sponsored his application to live in Canada permanently in 2004. But he still awaits a final decision on his visa application.
Green adds: "He is entitled by law to a decision, one way or another. All we are asking them to do is make a decision and make a lawful decision based on actual evidence. It is our position there is nothing untoward about this particular individual."
Yesterday, after filing his suit in the Federal Court of Canada, the Canada government asked Mr Green for more information in the Canadian visa application process.
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