Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Mafia: Most Wanted’ delving deep into the inner workings of the Ndrangheta crime group that first came into effect in 1997, we get a documentary series that is simply gripping. It chronicles every aspect of the offenses they were involved in, the people they have been associated with, as well as their legal troubles over the years, with the help of archival footage and interviews. Amongst those to thus play a significant role here is Carmine Guido, a so-called “wise man” who turned into a police informant and snitched on everyone who was once dear to him in the mob.
Carmine Guido Spiraled Into a Dark Path as a Teenager
Although not much about Carmine Guido’s background or early years is known as of writing, we do know he was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, to Italian immigrants hailing from Calabria. As per reports, he grew up surrounded by the Italian community, but what was overpowering for him from his early years was his violent streak, as he admittedly “ran tough as a kid.” This was to such an extent that not only did he face disciplinary actions several times over the years, but he was also essentially taken into custody by the police before he graduated from high school.
Carmine reportedly tried going a more traditional route by serving as a carpenter at his uncle’s construction company, but he soon went back to his alleged old ways. In other words, he worked the streets, rising up the ranks as a criminal, as an alleged drug abuser, drug seller, con man, kidnapper, loan shark, and muscle for the local mob. He reportedly even tried his hand at being a hit man, but to no avail. However, with his interests and career path, he spent a lot more time in Italian social clubs with established gangsters, per his own accord, earning him the title of a wise man.
Carmine never became a “made man” as a member of any organized crime family, but he was closely associated with members of the Ndrangheta group in the Greater Toronto Area. According to his own accounts in court proceedings, he witnessed the workings of the mob firsthand, following which he figured out who the bosses were on his own. He asserted he always took a mental note of who got to go into the backrooms of the mob-controlled cafés and local establishments when business was being discussed, after which he did his best to get close to them.
Carmine Guido Turned Into an Informant to Escape The Life of Crime
Carmine made several connections until he got clients for a mob-backed betting operation and then debt collection, per his own accounts, only for him to ultimately be “claimed” by a mobster. However, after years of working in the business, he knew it was time for him to get out, and the best way he could think of was by becoming an informant. Therefore, in 2009, he himself approached the York Regional Police (YRP) before evolving into a paid police agent for the elite police Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit in 2011. According to records, he was offered $2.4 million for not only his cooperation but also for recording conversations with mobsters as proof of crime.
Carmine identified himself as a mob associate or a mob enforcer to the police, which is a level below a member, but his cooperation still proved vital in the police’s operation codenamed Project Ophoenix. With the tapings he provided and the statements that were deemed credible, a total of 19 alleged mobsters were arrested in June 2015, followed by the seizure of several assets, the leader’s car collection, jewelry, and 8.5 kgs of cocaine. However, owing to a technical issue, a lot of these individuals were released, and the assets were returned. As for Carmine, though, by this point, he was already in the witness protection program with a different name, a different identity, and a new home.
Carmine Guido Remains in Hiding Despite No Longer Being in Witness Protection
According to records, Carmine last met with alleged mob leader Giuseppe Ursino for the police on May 27, 2015, but he was already afraid for his life. He was allegedly being threatened by other mobsters as his secret double life no longer seemed to be a secret. “It was getting tough for me, I couldn’t go on too much longer,” he said. “I was under a lot of stress. I started losing my mind.” Therefore, two days before officials moved in for their arrest, he was moved into hiding under their witness protection program, with the stipulation that he would testify in court when called upon.
What followed, though, was chaos. Carmine sued the police for $10 million upon hearing he would not be paid the promised sum, but they eventually settled for the original sum, and the government also covered his legal fees. However, during this period, it came to light that he was reportedly engaging in illegal activities during breaks in between police projects. As per records, over a period of six months, he made $800,000 by going back to his drug trade – he denied trafficking or importing drugs, but indicated he “had sold drugs,” “bought drugs,” and was not afraid to use violence if needed.
Nevertheless, Carmine still remained under police protection, that is, until February 2016, when he was kicked out for further alleged infractions. According to reports, there were new accusations against him for human trafficking and child exploitation, all the while he had a restraining order against him from a young woman. Yet, even though the 54-year-old is no longer under police protection and has since testified in court regarding related cases, it appears as if he remains in hiding to this day.
Read More: Cecil Kirby: What Happened to the Ex-Mafia Hitman?
