--- title: "Minister Anton Refalo Questioned Over Gozo Villa Link to Mafia Boss Riina" date: 2026-04-04T13:58:11.177+00:00 updated: 2026-04-07T14:01:57.402+00:00 topics: ["Politics", "International", "Gozo", "Crime", "National"] canonical: https://filqosor.com/article/2026-04-04/minister-anton-refalo-questioned-gozo-villa-mafia-riina source: Fil-Qosor --- # Minister Anton Refalo Questioned Over Gozo Villa Link to Mafia Boss Riina ## In brief - Minister Anton Refalo was questioned by Italian journalists regarding a Gozo villa. - An Italian report linked the villa to Salvatore 'Totò' Riina, a former Sicilian Mafia boss. - Minister Refalo reportedly appeared uncomfortable when asked about the connection. Minister Anton Refalo was recently questioned by Italian journalists about a villa in Gozo. The questions came after an Italian report suggested a link between the property and Salvatore 'Totò' Riina, a notorious former boss of the Sicilian Mafia. According to NET News, Minister Refalo appeared uncomfortable when asked by the journalists about the alleged connection. The report from MaltaToday specifically mentioned that the Italian media linked the Minister's Gozo villa to a former hideout of Riina. The nature of the alleged link or the specifics of the Italian report were not detailed in the available information, beyond the suggestion of a connection to Riina's past activities. This development highlights ongoing scrutiny regarding properties in Malta and Gozo that may have historical or alleged ties to organised crime figures. This story follows previous reports of Italian media interest in Malta's connections to organised crime. The Minister's reaction to the questioning has also drawn attention. Minister Anton Refalo has strongly denied an Italian news report that linked him to former Sicilian Mafia boss Salvatore 'Totò' Riina. Refalo called the report 'absolute hogwash'. The Minister clarified that he leased the property in 2002, which was nine years after Toto Riina had been arrested. This statement provides his defence against the allegations made in the Italian media. Minister Anton Refalo has publicly denied reports linking him to the ownership of a Gozo property where former Sicilian Mafia boss Toto Riina reportedly lived in the 1990s. The Minister stated that he was never the owner of the property in question, refuting the claims made in earlier reports. New reports suggest that Salvatore Riina, a notorious Sicilian Mafia boss, may have spent some of his time as a fugitive hiding in Gozo. The Shift News reported on the possibility that Riina, known as the 'architect of massacres', enjoyed the anonymity of the island. This information follows previous reports where Minister Anton Refalo was questioned about a Gozo villa linked to Riina. ## The Spin Room **Low media divide.** The Shift News highlighted the suggestion that Salvatore Riina may have spent time in Gozo. ## Updates - **2026-04-04:** Updated with a report suggesting Sicilian Mafia boss Salvatore Riina may have spent time hiding in Gozo. - **2026-04-07:** Updated with reporting from Newsbook: The Nationalist Party and Repubblika have called for transparency from the minister following his evasive answers to an Italian journalist. ## Sources (10, 9 outlets) - [MaltaToday](https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/140754/italian_report_links_anton_refalos_gozo_villa_to_former_salvatore_toto_riina_hideout) - [The Shift News](https://theshiftnews.com/2026/04/04/the-beast-of-gozo/) - [TVM News](https://tvmnews.mt/en/news/denies-reports-he-was-or-is-the-owner-of-a-gozo-property-in-which-toto-rina-lived-in-the-90s/ "Denies reports he was or is the owner of a Gozo property in which Toto Rina lived in the 90s") - [The Malta Independent](https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2026-04-04/local-news/Minister-Refalo-dismisses-Italian-mafia-link-report-as-absolute-hogwash-6736288538) - [The Maltese Herald](https://themalteseherald.com/2026/04/07/on-the-toto-riina-and-anton-refalo-story/) - [Newsbook](https://newsbook.com.mt/en/pn-repubblika-sceptical-as-anton-refalo-claims-ignorance-of-toto-riina/) - [Times of Malta](https://timesofmalta.com/article/refalo-says-italian-news-report-linking-mafia-boss-absolute-hogwash.1126461) - [NET News](https://netnews.com.mt/2026/04/06/jerga-jaghti-l-istess-twegiba/) - [Lovin Malta](https://lovinmalta.com/news/anton-refalo-denies-knowing-toto-riina-when-confronted-by-italian-journalist/) - [NET News](https://netnews.com.mt/2026/04/04/il-ministru-anton-refalo-skomdu-jwiegeb-lill-gurnalisti-taljani-brabta-mal-kap-tal-mafja-toto-riina/) ## More stories - [Mafia Boss's Son-in-Law Issued Maltese ID While Wanted](https://filqosor.com/article/2026-04-11/mafia-bosss-son-in-law-issued-maltese-id-while-wanted) (2026-04-11) - [PM Abela Satisfied with Minister Refalo's Property Explanation](https://filqosor.com/article/2026-04-08/pm-abela-satisfied-minister-refalo-property-explanation) (2026-04-08) - [European Commission Vice President Visits Malta, Inspects Second Interconnector Progress](https://filqosor.com/article/2026-03-27/european-commission-vice-president-visits-malta-inspects-second-interconnector-progress) (2026-03-27) --- Generated and reviewed by AI; verify critical facts with the primary sources. 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