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A businessman with alleged ties to the ‘Ndrangheta mafia is currently serving a seven-year sentence in Italy, even as his associates continue to operate businesses on the eastern side of Slovakia. The case, which originally gained prominence following the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak, highlights the ongoing challenges of combating organized crime and corruption in the region.
Antonino Vadala, convicted of cocaine trafficking, is currently imprisoned in Reggio Calabria, Italy, having been resentenced on October 22, 2024, to seven years, one month, and ten days. Despite his incarceration, activity linked to his family continues in Slovakia, raising concerns about the extent of their network and influence.
Recent investigations reveal that Vadala’s cousin, Pietro Cattropa, operates a company, Prodest, leasing property in the small village of Beša, approximately 30 minutes from Trebišov and Michalovce. Cattropa’s father, Dante Cattropa, was previously identified as a member of the Vadalà–Talia clan, responsible for recruiting new members and coordinating criminal activities, according to court documents.
Vadala himself initially planned to establish a business in Beša in 2018, but those plans were disrupted by his arrest and subsequent detention in Italy on drug trafficking charges. He was among the first suspects investigated following the February 21, 2018, murder of Ján Kuciak, who was investigating Vadala’s connections to Slovak politicians and business figures.
Although Vadala was briefly released on appeal in February 2022 after a court overturned his initial conviction due to insufficient evidence, he was ultimately re-sentenced following a new trial. He has been back in custody since then.
Despite his imprisonment, Vadala was reportedly seen multiple times in eastern Slovakia, including in Beša.
Kuciak’s investigation, cut short by his murder, uncovered a close relationship between Vadala and María Trošková, a parliamentary assistant who later became a chief advisor to then-Prime Minister Robert Fico. The two co-founded a company, GIA management, in 2011. Vadala also maintained connections with other figures within the Smer party, including Viliam Jasaň, who was assisted by Trošková. Jasaň later became a secretary of the State Security Council.
Following the exposure of his relationship with Vadala, Jasaň resigned from politics, stating he was unaware of Vadala’s connections to the Italian mafia and drug trafficking.
Police were alerted to Vadala and his family’s activities in Slovakia by Italian authorities following Kuciak’s murder. Trošková reportedly told police that Jasaň had introduced her to Vadala.
Italian investigators monitoring Vadala’s communications intercepted phone calls confirming his connections to “significant representatives of the Calabrian organized crime network, linked to drug trafficking and, given his economic interests, to Italian and Slovak public officials.”
The intercepted communications reportedly included a conversation between Vadala and then-Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, though Fico has previously denied any such communication.
New Arrivals in Eastern Slovakia
The village of Beša, located roughly 30 minutes by car from the Ukrainian border, has attracted another Calabrian national, Michelangelo Rodi.
Rodi, 36, has owned a company in Beša since February 2024, engaged in the buying and selling of goods and freight transport. The company reported revenues of just 4,700 euros last year, operating at a loss.
Rodi had no prior business presence in Slovakia before 2023, but faced legal proceedings in Italy, including a brief period of imprisonment.
In February 2025, prosecutors in Brescia uncovered a tax evasion scheme worth 250 million euros involving false invoices. Rodi was among those accused, with intercepted communications, as reported in Italian media, suggesting the operation was directed by a “boss of the ‘Ndrangheta in the Brescia region.”
The property where Rodi’s company is located is less than a kilometer from the former cooperative in Beša leased by Vadala’s cousin, Pietro Cattropa. The same building also houses two other companies – Mallory and V&S Group SK – the latter of which owns the property.
All three companies share a common owner, Antónia H. V&S Group SK was founded in July 2022 and purchased the property the following year. This owner connects Rodi to Vadala, as she was reportedly in a close relationship with Vadala prior to his arrest in 2018, visiting him twice while he was incarcerated in Italy.
In 2017, Antónia H. became involved in politics, serving as the chair of the district branch of the Šport do Košíc a na Východ (Sport to Košice and the East) party in Trebišov.
Antonino Vadala was a prominent, though unofficial, figure within the party, exchanging text messages with various individuals, including his lawyer, discussing campaign strategy and candidate selection. These conversations are part of the evidence collected by journalist Ján Kuciak.
Antónia H., who repeatedly visited Vadala in prison in 2018 and maintained a close relationship with him, is now the owner of the property in Beša where Rodi’s company, Miro Car, is located. She briefly served as the company’s director for nearly six months.
When contacted, Antónia H. reportedly ended the phone call after a few words and did not respond to written inquiries regarding her connections to the Italian businessmen in eastern Slovakia.
Michelangelo Rodi lists his residence as being near the center of Michalovce, at the Luna guesthouse. He was not found there, but the owner confirmed Rodi’s address is registered there, stating he only comes to collect mail.
Locals Suspect Vadala’s Involvement
The building in Beša housing the three companies appears neglected, with a new roof but a dilapidated exterior. Locals report rarely seeing anyone at the property, only observing individuals collecting mail. Neighbors stated they have seen “the owner of the house,” resembling Antonino Vadala, inquiring about purchasing their property to create a parking lot for trucks.
“He wanted to combine both yards and have a parking lot for trucks,” one neighbor said. Another added that he likely hasn’t been around recently because he is back in prison.
Vadala’s previous business activities in Slovakia included truck transportation and agriculture, benefiting from EU subsidies. These activities diminished after his 2018 arrest.
Dom v Beši, kde sídlia tri firmy
Another Italian national, Vincenzo D’Amico, arrived in eastern Slovakia in early 2024. He owns a trucking company, S.C. PERLIGHT.SK, in Trebišov, which has shown limited financial activity since its establishment.
D’Amico also has a history of legal issues in Italy, having been investigated for ties to the ‘Ndrangheta. He was ultimately acquitted of mafia membership in 2020 but convicted of money laundering through business activities.
In July 2022, S.C. PERLIGHT SK shipped 22,000 kilograms of bananas from Guayaquil, Ecuador, to Rotterdam, Netherlands – a major European port known as an entry point for cocaine smuggling.
The shipment originated from Makergrammy S.A., an Ecuadorian company that was previously linked to a cocaine shipment intercepted in Germany in 2021. Authorities discovered 51 kilograms of cocaine hidden within a container of bananas shipped by the company.
Authorities intercepted communications between Vadala and D’Amico, suggesting a connection between the two men. Vadala’s role in establishing a new drug trafficking route from South America to Europe, utilizing legitimate trade as a cover, was also investigated by Italian authorities.
Vadala reportedly used his Slovak companies to facilitate payments for cocaine shipments from South America. The investigation revealed that he had contacts within the Slovak government and law enforcement.
The ongoing investigations underscore the challenges of disrupting transnational criminal networks and the need for continued vigilance in combating corruption and organized crime in the region.
This reporting was supported by Journalismfund Europe.
