Salvo Riina was born in Corleone, Sicily. He is the third born of four children born to Totò Riina and Ninetta Bagarella. His father was the head of the Sicilian Mafia, known as Cosa Nostra, from 1982 to 1993.
Salvo Riina grew up in a world of violence and crime. His father was responsible for ordering the murders of hundreds of people, including anti-Mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. Salvo Riina alleged by law enforcement to be involved in Mafia activities from a young age. For this he spent close to ten years in prison. But in our conversation he describes his upbringing as “normal”.
In 1993, Salvo Riina’s father was arrested after 23 years on the run. Salvo Riina took over as head of Cosa Nostra,. His brother was arrested a few years later and was sentenced to life in prison for Mafia association, murder, and other crimes.
His brother Giovanni has been in prison for over 25 years. He has refused to cooperate with authorities, and he has never expressed remorse for his crimes.
In 2017, Salvo Riina’s father died in prison. Salvo Riina is now the most senior male member of the Riina family still alive that is free. He has two other sisters.
Here are some additional details about Salvo Riina’s life and his book The House of Riina (Family Life):
Sure, here is some information about the book “The House of Riina: Family Life” written by Salvo Riina, the son of infamous Sicilian Mafia boss Totò Riina.
- Published in 2014
- Written by Salvo Riina,
- Translated into English in 2016
- Details Salvo Riina’s childhood and upbringing in a Mafia family
- Offers a unique perspective on the internal dynamics of the Riina family
- Has been criticized for its lack of remorse and glamorization of Mafia life in Ialy
Critical reception
The book has been met with mixed reviews. Some critics have praised it for its raw and honest portrayal of life in a Mafia family. Others have criticized it for its lack of remorse and glamorization of Mafia life.
Overall, “The House of Riina: Family Life” is a controversial book that offers a unique perspective on the Sicilian Mafia. However, it is important to read it with a critical eye, as it does not provide a complete or unbiased account of the Mafia’s activities.
Here are some additional details about the book:
- It was originally published in Italian as “Riina, una famiglia”.
- It has been translated into several other languages, including French, Spanish, and German.
- The book was a bestseller in Italy.
- Salvo Riina has said that he wrote the book to tell his side of the story and to defend his father’s reputation.
This was my second interview with Salvo as I found him more relaxed and shared more vs. my first interview with him (about 8 months ago). We learn more about his life growing up with the notorious Toto Riina as they were on the run until the age of 15 years old. The interview is conducted in Italian with English subtitles on my New Theory Podcast. I started the podcast in 2016 as I simply wanted to learn about other people, their journey and their decision making process. Some have been inspirations while others have been a cautionary tale. I also interviewed Pablo Escobar’s wife which I found extremely gentile and endearing (Believe it or not). You can check out my podcast on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes and wherever you listen to podcasts. Please feel free to share your feedback in the comments below from the interview.
You may watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JLcIwPyXLQ
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