By Leonardo Rizzuto
TIL CreativesQuebec Mafia lawyer Leonardo Rizzuto arrested and suspended after major police crackdown
The Barreau du Qu茅bec has provisionally suspended the law license of prominent lawyer Leonardo Rizzuto, effective July 2, following his arrest in a sweeping police operation targeting organized crime.Rizzuto, 56, was licensed in 1999 and practiced in Montreal and Laval. He is the youngest son of the late Vito Rizzuto, once Montreal鈥檚 most powerful Mafia boss, and is believed to currently lead the infamous Rizzuto crime family About 150 officers from the Montreal Police (SPVM) and the S没ret茅 du Qu茅bec executed coordinated raids in cities across Quebec as part of “Project Alliance,” a three-year investigation into organized crime. The operation led to 11 arrests of men aged 27鈥57 with alleged ties to the Italian Mafia, the Hells Angels, and street gangs..Rizzuto and six others were charged with first-degree murder in the 2011 killing of alleged Montreal Mafia member Lorenzo Lopresti. All 11 suspects are accused of involvement in multiple murders or attempted murders between 2011 and 2021, either as perpetrators or accomplices.Under Article 122.0.1 of Quebec鈥檚 Code of Professions, any lawyer charged with offenses carrying sentences of five years or more must face licence suspension to protect public trust. The Barreau鈥檚 disciplinary council acted swiftly after Rizzuto was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. While the suspension is temporary, it bars him from practicing law or using the title “lawyer” during criminal proceedings.Live EventsRizzuto carries a heavy name; his father, Vito 鈥淭eflon Don鈥 Rizzuto, once led Canada鈥檚 most powerful Mafia network until he died in 2013. The Rizzuto lineage dates back to Nicolo Rizzuto, who in the 1970s seized Montreal’s Sicilian Mafia leadership amid violent turf wars.At a press conference, SQ Chief Insp. Marc Charbonneau called the arrests a 鈥渕ajor blow鈥 one of the most significant operations in recent decades鈥. Deputy director Benoit Dub茅 emphasized how the probe provided closure for victims鈥 families:鈥淓very act of violence 鈥 police joined together 鈥 to give some answers back to the families.鈥漅etired detective Andr茅 G茅linas described Rizzuto鈥檚 arrest as symbolic, effectively decapitating the Rizzuto family鈥檚 leadership.(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
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(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onLeonardo RizzutoQuebec crime raidRizzuto crime familyMontreal MafiaBarreau du Qu茅becLorenzo LoprestiMafia lawyer arrestmafia(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless
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