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Article: Tales of a 'Mafia Mamma'; Breaking with tradition, the Cosa Nostra chose a woman to become a top crime boss. Now she's taking revenge.(Giuseppina Vitale)
- Article from:
- Newsweek International
- Article date:
- May 23, 2005
- Author:
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Byline: Jacopo Barigazzi and Eric Pape
Giuseppina Vitale wasn't just another strong Italian woman in high heels. She was the twentysomething kid sister of Leonardo and Vito, reputedly princes (of sorts) in the Sicilian mob, the Cosa Nostra. Italian media tapped the two brothers as potential heirs to "the godfather" himself. When Leonardo was sent to the slammer in the early 1990s, Vito did his brotherly duty and replaced Leonardo. And when Vito was sent to jail in 1998, Giusy, as she is known, did her sisterly duty. She cursed and spit at police--then did something women in Sicily aren't supposed to do: she took over for her brothers. Or so she claims, at any ...