• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Italian Mafia Fugitive On Run For 20 Years Caught After Appearing On Google Maps

Home> News

Updated 21:05 5 Jan 2022 GMTPublished 21:06 5 Jan 2022 GMT

Italian Mafia Fugitive On Run For 20 Years Caught After Appearing On Google Maps

The mafia member was convicted from murder and escaped from prison 20 years ago

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

Police have been able to catch an escaped mafia henchman who has been on the run for 20 years and it's all thanks to Google Maps.

Convicted murderer Gioacchino Gammino was miraculously spotted on Google Maps outside a grocery shop in Spain.

According to The Telegraph, the 60-year-old was living a quiet life in the region and found work as a chef before setting up his fruit and veg shop.

Gammino used a fake name and was largely successful in escaping sight from Italian police up until, of course, they discovered the image in the town of Galapagar north of Madrid.

EPA

The mafia henchman, who changed his name to Manuel, was shown chatting to someone outside the street corner store called El Huerto de Manu - Manu's Garden.

The big breakthrough came when detectives investigated the nearby restaurant, Manu's Kitchen.

And incredibly, on the eatery's Facebook page, there was a photo of the fugitive who was dressed in chef whites.

Despite it being 20-years since he was last seen, a distinct scar on his face remained and authorities were able to confirm the man's identity.

On the menu was 'Cena Siciliana' – Sicilian supper, which was possibly a reference to his past life.

Google Maps

Gammino was arrested on December 17 and reportedly completely baffled after being caught.

"How did you find me?" he reportedly asked the police, whilst adding: "I haven’t even phoned my family for the last 10 years."

The mobster will be sent to an Italian jail to serve a life sentence and has been convicted of a range of crimes, from murder to drug trafficking and mafia association.

It is believed that Gammino was on the Italian interior ministry's list for the country's most wanted fugitives, as well as Gammino being a part of a mafia family from Agrigento in Sicily, which was prominent in the 1990s.

He was first arrested in 1984 and was investigated by high-profile anti-mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone.

The prosecutor was assassinated by the gang in 1992 after they blew up his car.

Gammino was charged with murder in 1994 and after going on the run, was captured in Barcelona three years later.

He then escaped a prison in Rome in 2002 and authorities were on the lookout ever since his recapture.

Featured Image Credit: Google Maps

Topics: World News

Anish Vij
Anish Vij

Anish is a Journalist at LADbible Group and is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2025. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ - family, friends, football and food. Email: [email protected]

X

@Anish_Vij

Choose your content:

11 hours ago
13 hours ago
15 hours ago
  • Getty Stock
    11 hours ago

    Scientist reveals exactly what first contact with aliens will look like and it's terrifying

    The alien expert thinks Hollywood has got it wrong

    News
  • Sky News
    13 hours ago

    Forensic investigator reveals harrowing scenes he'll never forget 21 years on from Boxing Day tsunami

    The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami killed approximately 228,000 people, mostly in Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka

    News
  • Getty Images
    15 hours ago

    Scientists believe weight loss jabs could slow the spread of prostate cancer

    The injections could 'potentially' improve the effectiveness of treatment

    News
  • Alexander NEMENOV / AFP via Getty Images
    15 hours ago

    Zelenskyy wishes 'death' on Putin in scathing Christmas speech as WW3 tensions rise

    He had some strong words for his Russian counterpart

    News