330:, and gave birth to twins. She supported his criminal business. In 1974, Pasquale was abducted and murdered at the age of 18. His death remained unsolved, but Maresca believed that Ammaturo was responsible; he denied knowing anything about Pasquale's death. Pasquale had not accepted his mother's relationship with Ammaturo, who had threatened Pasquale several times. Ammaturo, suspected of the murder, was later acquitted for lack of evidence.
283:
33:
294:
commissioned by rival
Camorrista Antonio Esposito. The six-months-pregnant Maresca was devastated. She believed the police knew who the perpetrator was but were not prepared to do anything about it. On 4 August 1955, she drove to Naples with her younger brother, Ciro. When they met Esposito, she
411:, a granddaughter of the Fascist leader Benito Mussolini. Maresca, who did not agree with the film, argued that being portrayed by a Mussolini was “an affront to her honour” and was able to prevent its broadcast. Only 12 years later, in 1994, was the film screened on Italian TV channel
302:
On 14 October 1955, Maresca was arrested. Her trial started in April 1959 at the Court of
Assizes in Naples. The killing and the following trial made international headlines. At the trial, she defiantly declared, "I would do it again!" and the whole courtroom burst into cheers.
306:
One newspaper called her "The Diva of Crime". For the first time, the Court in Naples permitted microphones to be used so that the crowds could hear the proceedings. Proposals of marriage flooded in, and one musician composed a song in
Pupetta's honour called
345:. Cutolo had imposed a 'tax' on every case of smuggled cigarettes, a measure the Marescas resisted. Maresca’s favourite brother Ciro was shot in 1978. He survived, but was threatened again in prison by Cutolo's men in 1982.
830:
662:
352:. Maresca denied involvement in these crimes for the remainder of her life. By contrast, Ammaturo, who was initially acquitted, later confessed to the murder after becoming a
403:
299:. Holding it with both hands ("I was afraid I would miss", she explained later), she opened fire, firing 29 bullets and killing Esposito in broad daylight.
323:
in 1965, but "Madame
Camorra", as she was dubbed, continued to be involved in criminal activities. She became the lover of yet another Camorra boss, the
290:
Simonetti's style and power bothered other
Camorristi. On 16 July 1955 in Naples, he was shot dead in a central square of Naples by Gaetano Orlando, a
817:
588:
311:" – the Law of Honour. Nevertheless, she was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment, later reduced to 13 years and 4 months by the Court of Appeal.
434:
509:
900:
727:
623:
333:
Maresca separated from
Ammaturo in 1982, and continued her involvement with the Camorra. In February 1982, during the war between the
221:. She was the only daughter, and had four brothers. Her father Alberto Maresca was a dangerous smuggler. Her uncle Vincenzo Maresca,
860:
466:
572:
249:("little doll"). At the age of 19, she won a local beauty contest and became Miss Rovegliano, a suburban village of Naples.
636:
870:
865:
689:
542:
348:
Later in 1982, Maresca and
Ammaturo were arrested and charged with extortion as well as the murder of forensic scientist
790:
895:
885:
768:
752:
880:
890:
589:'Crimes Of Honor' Debated By Italy; Trial of Woman in Naples for Murder of Husband's Rival Stirs Nation
334:
663:"È morta Pupetta Maresca, la camorrista che sfidò Cutolo e visse tra faide di clan e fiction tv"
193:(19 January 1935 – 29 December 2021) was an Italian criminal who was a well-known figure in the
699:
210:
60:
855:
850:
408:
467:
Morta
Pupetta Maresca, la dark lady di camorra aveva 86 anni: una vita tra faide e fiction
8:
875:
370:
Maresca died on 29 December 2021 at her residence in
Castellammare di Stabia, at age 86.
396:
263:
229:
who controlled their hometown. The
Maresca family was known as the "Lightning Knives" (
102:
786:
764:
748:
703:
341:(NF), she held a press conference to defend her men, publicly defying the NCO boss
327:
230:
170:
569:
197:. She made international newspaper headlines in the mid-1950s when she killed the
759:
576:
342:
37:
Studio portrait of young Maresca taken when she was a local beauty queen ca. 1954
695:
392:
338:
259:
222:
711:
844:
707:
349:
809:
225:
to seven years in prison for the murder of his brother Gerardo, was a known
358:
in June 1993. Maresca served four years in prison and then lived alone in
296:
238:
783:
The Godmother: Murder, Vengeance, and the Bloody Struggle of Mafia Women
471:
324:
242:
270:, who worked in the fruit and vegetable market in Naples and dealt in
32:
691:
Una Donna, la Camorra e Napoli: Reccontati dal cinema e dalla stampa
319:
Maresca gave birth to her first child, Pasquale, in prison. She was
282:
435:"Assunta Maresca, first female boss in Camorra mafia, dies aged 86"
383:
359:
218:
64:
412:
378:
Maresca's life has been the subject of several films, including:
354:
271:
226:
194:
140:
160:
18 years of imprisonment, later reduced to 13 years and 4 months
760:
Women and the Mafia: Female Roles in Organized Crime Structures
320:
291:
254:
214:
198:
150:
395:, based on the story of Pascalone and Pupetta Maresca, with
286:
Pupetta Maresca and Pasquale Simonetti wedding photo (1955)
728:'La mia era solo un'inchiesta che non cercava lo scandalo'
245:
cigarettes. Tiny, pretty, and spoiled, she was nicknamed
637:"E' morta Pupetta Maresca, lady camorra degli anni '80"
433:
Giuffrida, Angela; Longrigg, Clare (30 December 2021).
543:"When the Family Business Is Crime, Some Women Thrive"
252:
Maresca was courted by a wealthy and powerful local
432:
842:
407:(1982; TV film), in which she was portrayed by
818:"Pupetta 50 anni dopo svende tutto a 10 euro"
603:
601:
520:
518:
505:
503:
501:
487:
485:
483:
481:
459:
457:
455:
536:
534:
295:reached into her handbag and pulled out a
31:
614:
598:
565:
563:
515:
582:
540:
498:
478:
452:
281:
531:
365:
274:goods. On 27 April 1955, they married.
117: 1955; died 1955)
83:Castellamare di Stabia, Campania, Italy
843:
785:(Paperback). New York: Penguin Books.
780:
560:
687:
373:
624:Il boss Ammaturo confessa: 40 avvisi
541:Haberman, Clyde (4 September 2022).
901:People from Castellammare di Stabia
718:
13:
774:
626:, Corriere della Sera, 24 May 1994
277:
14:
912:
800:
757:Fiandaca, Giovanni (ed.) (2007),
314:
681:
655:
629:
114:
861:20th-century Italian criminals
669:(in Italian). 30 December 2021
643:(in Italian). 29 December 2021
512:, Time Magazine, 20 April 1959
426:
1:
781:Nadeau, Barbie Latza (2022).
737:
730:, La Repubblica, 29 June 1994
204:
209:Assunta Maresca was born in
16:Italian criminal (1935–2021)
7:
831:"Die Artischocken-Diktatur"
201:of her husband in revenge.
10:
917:
871:21st-century Italian women
866:20th-century Italian women
241:, and made their money in
237:) for their expert use of
579:, Criminology Museum Rome
575:30 September 2012 at the
335:Nuova Camorra Organizzata
176:
164:
156:
146:
136:
132:
124:
96:
88:
72:
42:
30:
23:
896:Italian female murderers
886:Italian female gangsters
743:Longrigg, Clare (1998).
688:Costa, Giuseppe (2006).
419:
258:, or Camorra boss, from
881:Criminals from Campania
404:Il caso Pupetta Maresca
700:Stony Brook University
297:Smith & Wesson .38
287:
234:
211:Castellamare di Stabia
61:Castellamare di Stabia
763:, New York: Springer
285:
262:. Another suitor was
409:Alessandra Mussolini
366:Later life and death
810:"Pascalone 'e Nola"
609:Women and the Mafia
526:Women and the Mafia
747:, London: Vintage
593:The New York Times
475:, 29 December 2021
397:Rosanna Schiaffino
374:In popular culture
288:
264:Pasquale Simonetti
213:, a town south of
103:Pasquale Simonetti
891:Italian gangsters
180:
179:
908:
829:
816:
808:
796:
731:
726:
722:
716:
715:
710:. Archived from
685:
679:
678:
676:
674:
659:
653:
652:
650:
648:
633:
627:
622:
618:
612:
605:
596:
586:
580:
567:
558:
557:
555:
553:
538:
529:
522:
513:
510:La Legge d'Onore
507:
496:
489:
476:
465:
461:
450:
449:
447:
445:
430:
328:Umberto Ammaturo
309:La legge d'onore
268:Pasquale 'e Nola
171:Umberto Ammaturo
167:
118:
116:
79:
76:29 December 2021
56:
54:
35:
21:
20:
916:
915:
911:
910:
909:
907:
906:
905:
841:
840:
827:
824:, 2 August 2005
814:
806:
803:
793:
777:
775:Further reading
740:
735:
734:
724:
723:
719:
714:on 4 July 2009.
686:
682:
672:
670:
661:
660:
656:
646:
644:
635:
634:
630:
620:
619:
615:
606:
599:
595:, 7 April 1959.
587:
583:
577:Wayback Machine
570:Pupetta Maresca
568:
561:
551:
549:
539:
532:
523:
516:
508:
499:
490:
479:
463:
462:
453:
443:
441:
431:
427:
422:
376:
368:
343:Raffaele Cutolo
317:
280:
278:Revenge killing
207:
165:
147:Criminal charge
120:
112:
108:
105:
84:
81:
77:
68:
58:
57:19 January 1935
52:
50:
49:
48:
47:Assunta Maresca
38:
26:
25:Pupetta Maresca
17:
12:
11:
5:
914:
904:
903:
898:
893:
888:
883:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
839:
838:
825:
812:
802:
801:External links
799:
798:
797:
792:978-0143136118
791:
776:
773:
772:
771:
755:
739:
736:
733:
732:
717:
680:
654:
628:
613:
597:
581:
559:
547:New York Times
530:
514:
497:
477:
451:
424:
423:
421:
418:
417:
416:
400:
393:Francesco Rosi
375:
372:
367:
364:
339:Nuova Famiglia
337:(NCO) and the
316:
315:Madame Camorra
313:
279:
276:
260:Palma Campania
206:
203:
178:
177:
174:
173:
168:
162:
161:
158:
154:
153:
148:
144:
143:
138:
134:
133:
130:
129:
126:
122:
121:
110:
106:
101:
100:
98:
94:
93:
90:
86:
85:
82:
80:(aged 86)
74:
70:
69:
59:
46:
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
913:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
848:
846:
837:, 27 May 1959
836:
832:
826:
823:
822:La Repubblica
819:
813:
811:
805:
804:
794:
788:
784:
779:
778:
770:
769:0-387-36537-0
766:
762:
761:
756:
754:
753:0-09-959171-5
750:
746:
742:
741:
729:
721:
713:
709:
705:
701:
697:
693:
692:
684:
668:
664:
658:
642:
641:la Repubblica
638:
632:
625:
617:
610:
604:
602:
594:
590:
585:
578:
574:
571:
566:
564:
548:
544:
537:
535:
527:
521:
519:
511:
506:
504:
502:
494:
488:
486:
484:
482:
474:
473:
468:
460:
458:
456:
440:
436:
429:
425:
414:
410:
406:
405:
401:
398:
394:
390:
389:The Challenge
386:
385:
381:
380:
379:
371:
363:
361:
357:
356:
351:
350:Aldo Semerari
346:
344:
340:
336:
331:
329:
326:
322:
312:
310:
304:
300:
298:
293:
284:
275:
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
256:
250:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
212:
202:
200:
196:
192:
188:
184:
175:
172:
169:
163:
159:
155:
152:
149:
145:
142:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
104:
99:
95:
91:
87:
75:
71:
66:
62:
45:
41:
34:
29:
22:
19:
834:
821:
815:(In Italian)
807:(In Italian)
782:
758:
744:
725:(in Italian)
720:
712:the original
690:
683:
671:. Retrieved
666:
657:
645:. Retrieved
640:
631:
621:(in Italian)
616:
608:
592:
584:
550:. Retrieved
546:
525:
492:
470:
464:(in Italian)
442:. Retrieved
439:The Guardian
438:
428:
402:
391:; 1958), by
388:
382:
377:
369:
353:
347:
332:
318:
308:
305:
301:
289:
267:
253:
251:
246:
239:switchblades
208:
190:
186:
182:
181:
78:(2021-12-29)
18:
856:2021 deaths
851:1935 births
835:Der Spiegel
828:(In German)
745:Mafia Women
673:30 December
647:30 December
552:5 September
493:Mafia Women
266:, known as
235:Lampetielli
89:Nationality
876:Camorristi
845:Categories
738:References
607:Fiandaca,
524:Fiandaca,
495:, pp. 1-10
491:Longrigg,
472:Il Mattino
399:as Maresca
325:drug baron
243:contraband
227:Camorrista
205:Early life
166:Partner(s)
137:Allegiance
53:1935-01-19
708:144629037
698:Thesis).
667:La Stampa
444:3 January
223:sentenced
573:Archived
384:La sfida
360:Sorrento
321:pardoned
272:smuggled
219:Campania
199:murderer
125:Children
65:Campania
611:, p. 14
528:, p. 12
413:Rai Tre
355:pentito
247:Pupetta
231:Italian
195:Camorra
191:Maresca
187:Pupetta
183:Assunta
157:Penalty
141:Camorra
119:
111:
107:
92:Italian
67:, Italy
789:
767:
751:
706:
292:hitman
255:guappo
215:Naples
151:Murder
97:Spouse
420:Notes
113:(
109:
787:ISBN
765:ISBN
749:ISBN
704:OCLC
696:D.A.
675:2021
649:2021
554:2022
446:2022
73:Died
43:Born
217:in
847::
833:,
820:,
702:.
665:.
639:.
600:^
591:,
562:^
545:.
533:^
517:^
500:^
480:^
469:,
454:^
437:.
362:.
233::
189:"
115:m.
63:,
795:.
694:(
677:.
651:.
556:.
448:.
415:.
387:(
307:"
185:"
128:3
55:)
51:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
