The Underworld Podcast — Episode Summary
Episode: Italy's Unknown 5th Mafia, The Stidda
Date: January 27, 2026
Hosts: Sean Williams & Danny Gold

Overview:

This episode delves into the shadowy rise and recent history of the Stidda, often referred to as Italy’s little-known “fifth Mafia.” With most attention reserved for infamous syndicates like the Cosa Nostra, Camorra, and ’Ndrangheta, journalists Sean Williams and Danny Gold recount the violent birth and bloody evolution of the Stidda, focusing on its break from tradition, its rivalry with Cosa Nostra during the Second Mafia War, and its ongoing criminal activities across Sicily and mainland Italy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Sicilian Mafia Legacy and the Stage for Stidda

• Historical context of Sicily’s crime families:

  • Sicily has long served as the battleground for rival empires, which has seeded a distrust of authorities and the rise of organized mafia.
  • The hosts trace back the hierarchy of Italian mafias—Cosa Nostra (Sicily), Camorra (Naples/Campania), ’Ndrangheta (Calabria), Sacra Corona Unita (Puglia), and the less recognized Stidda (primarily southern Sicily). (10:00-13:00)
  • Various possible origins for the word “Mafia” are explained, including the colorful theory that it’s an acronym for "Morta alla Francia Italia anela" ("Death to the French is Italy’s cry").

    "But in the case of the Cosa Nostra, there really is a deep history. Sicily is the biggest island in the Med[iterranean]..." — Sean Williams [09:35]

• The rise of mafiosi through social upheaval:

  • Landless peasants, under feudal oppression and later, national unification, created a deep-rooted resentment and provided fertile ground for criminal organizations.
  • The Gabellotti—middlemen leasing land to peasants—hardened the exploitative system and enabled recruitment of mafia "muscle." (12:40-13:30)

2. The Cosa Nostra, Modernization, and Mafia Wars

• Consolidation of power & American connection:

  • Figures like Giuseppe Masseria and Lucky Luciano shaped the American mafia model, with strong Sicilian ties fueling the U.S.-Italy connection.

• Post-WWII chaos and burgeoning opportunity:

  • Sicily’s devastation, institutional collapse, and black-market proliferation bolstered mafia power.
  • Cosa Nostra inserted itself into land reforms and violently suppressed reformers and communists. (16:00-17:20)
  • The mafia’s incursion into international heroin smuggling (the French Connection) and corrupt building contracts in Palermo.

• First & Second Mafia Wars:

  • First Mafia War (1962–68): Intra-mafia violence and major restructuring.
  • Second Mafia War (1981 onward): Led by Salvatore "Toto" Riina and the Corleonesi, distinguished by extreme brutality—institutionalized by the phrase:

    “He murders rival members and he installs Corleonese-friendly patsies in their place. He murders reporters, business people, police officers, politicians... Not in the shadows... but in the open, brutally, to bend the public and authorities to his will. He’s a terrorist, basically.” — Sean Williams [21:32]

3. Birth of the Stidda (The "Star")

• Origins:

  • The Stidda emerges in response to the Corleonese’s bloody purification of Cosa Nostra ranks, spurred by the assassination of old-guard boss Giuseppe Di Cristina in 1978 and a disgust among “men of honor” at the new order’s violence. (27:19)
  • Unlike other mafias’ claims of centuries-long tradition, the Stidda’s history is recent and traceable:

    "One of the simplest ways by which the Stidda differs… is this: Its history can be traced directly to the fallout of Di Cristina's killing and the disgust of, quote, men of honor within the Cosa Nostra over Toto Riina's bloodthirstiness..." — Sean Williams [27:52]

• Structure and tactics:

  • Rather than hierarchical clans, the Stidda forms from tight-knit, local syndicates; united, smaller, amorphous, and open to new recruits.
  • Known for using very young hitmen (“Karusi”) with colorful nicknames like Sitchio (“Shoot Shoot”), Salvuccio Coca Cola, and Toto Battery.

    "It's not just the big guys who are fighting now... It's the small fish fighting out an action-reaction syndrome and they are out of control." — Carlton Isetta’s police commissioner [30:36]

4. Stidda vs. Cosa Nostra: The Bloody War in Southern Sicily

• Flashpoints: Gela and Central Sicily (1980s-early 1990s):

  • The towns of Gela, Riesi, and Caltanissetta become battlegrounds as Stidda and Cosa Nostra vie for control over construction projects, ports, drugs, and extortion rackets.
  • Escalation of violence:
    • Massacres and high-profile killings (notably the Polara family massacre in 1988) mark a brutal gang war.

      “On December 22 that year, we get the massacre from the cold open... when a Stidda goon kills local boss Salvatore Polara, his wife and two of his three young sons...” — Sean Williams [38:04]

    • Notorious coordinated attack on November 22, 1990: Seven killed, multiple wounded in 18 minutes across several public venues in Gela.

      “18 minutes, seven dead. A bloodbath.” — Sean Williams [39:49];
      “Yeah, this is like a Michael Corleone montage right here.” — Danny Gold [39:52]

• Law enforcement cracks down, trials and pentiti (informers):

  • Prosecution peaks with the legendary Maxi Trial (1986–92): 475 mafiosi indicted; 338 convicted; major figures like Michele Greco and (in absentia) Toto Riina sentenced.

    "The Maxi Trial... the largest trial in world history, held in a specially made Palermo bunker containing cells where mafiosi holler and scream like they're zoo animals.” — Sean Williams [32:45]

  • The courage and tragedy of anti-mafia judges, namely Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who are both assassinated by mafia bombs in 1992, touching off widespread anti-mafia protest.

    "He who is silent and bows his head dies every time he does so… He who speaks aloud and walks with his head high dies only once." — Giovanni Falcone (quoted by Sean Williams) [44:05]

  • Testimony of pentiti like Leonardo Messina and Gaetano Ianni exposes internal workings and undercuts Stidda’s myth of nonexistence.

5. Aftermath and Modern Status of the Stidda

• Ceasefire and division of rackets:

  • War grinds to a halt in the 1990s; by accounts, Cosa Nostra and Stidda tacitly agree to "divide" criminal markets.

    “Since the 1990s... there has been a real division of criminal activity between Cosa Nostra and the Stidda. The main organization handles major contracts... The fifth Mafia… focuses on classic Mafia crime activities: drug trafficking for local needs, extortion and loan sharking, clandestine gambling dens, prostitution, and armed territorial control.” — Italian newspaper Fatto Corigiano (quoted by Sean Williams) [47:23]

  • The Stidda persists as a network of gangland clans, operating in southern Sicily (and pockets even in Milan), now centering on extortion, local drug trade, and other “classic” mafia rackets—akin to a “far into a bit” or entry-level mafia compared to the Cosa Nostra’s institutional corruption. (48:01)

6. Impact and Unresolved Mysteries

• Ongoing investigations, unpunished massacres, and communities in fear are highlighted.
• The episode closes suggesting that the story continues—Patreon subscribers will get the second part covering 1999 to today.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Mafia Leadership & Internal Violence:

• "Rina is just a straight out psychopath, the manifestation of despotic power... Not in the shadows to pull the strings of power carefully, but in the open, brutally, to bend the public and authorities to his will. He’s a terrorist, basically."
  — Sean Williams [21:32]

On Stidda’s Formation:

• "One of the simplest ways by which the Stidda differs to other Italian crime groups is, is precisely this... Its history can be traced directly to the fallout of Di Christina's killing...”
  — Sean Williams [27:52]

On the Young Hitmen:

• "They have crazy names: Sitchio 'Chute Shoot', Salvuccio 'Coca Cola' and Toto 'Battery' because he's had pacemakers fitted."
  — Sean Williams [30:20]

On Law Enforcement & Corruption:

• “The Maxi Trial... has overtones of a Barnum & Bailey production.”
  — The Guardian, quoted by Sean Williams [33:05]

On Judge Livatino’s Murder:

• 'What have I done to you?' he says before dying, echoing the words of Jesus Christ on the cross."
  — Sean Williams [41:15]

On the Anti-Mafia Judges:

• 'He who is silent and bows his head dies every time he does so. He who speaks aloud and walks with his head high dies only once.'
  — Giovanni Falcone, quoted [44:05]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:53–06:42: Podcast/host banter, set-up, brief ads—skip
• 06:42–13:30: Sicily’s history, mafia origins, and the feudal system
• 15:11–22:29: Evolution of the Cosa Nostra and rise of Toto Riina
• 22:29–27:21: The rise (and execution) of Giuseppe Di Cristina, Corleonese ascendancy
• 27:19–32:45: Birth of the Stidda—structure, beliefs, and break from Cosa Nostra
• 33:00–36:00: The Maxi Trial, impact on mafia society
• 37:08–41:17: Gela becomes the front line—massacres, coordinated attacks, and judicial assassinations
• 44:05–48:01: Aftermath—public reaction, modern criminal rackets, the enduring Stidda

Tone and Style

The show blends meticulous journalism with dark, irreverent humor and conversational asides, making the grim subject matter both accessible and gripping, peppered with personal anecdotes and pop culture references (“Michael Corleone montage,” “choose your player…”).

Final Notes

The episode ends with the promise of a Patreon-exclusive bonus, continuing the story of the Stidda into the present, including further vendettas, attempted reconciliation, and the persistent shadow of Sicilian criminality.

For listeners seeking a deep dive into mafia history off the beaten path, this episode offers a vivid, bloody tour of the Stidda’s origins, murderous heyday, and ongoing effect on Sicilian society.