The Mafia Finds A Way To Infiltrate The Lucrative Gay Italian Market—Fake Beckham Memorabilia

We knew that David Beckham thought he was all gangsta gangsta hanging out with Snoop all the time, but this might be even a bit much for him. While he’s over in Milan on loan from the Galaxy, the mob has decided to capitalize on the former England captain by creating a whole division of La Costa Nostra to make counterfeit jerseys and souvenirs of Mr. Posh. Et Tu, Mafia?

According to the report, FBI agents in America passed along the tip after interrogating Giuseppe Collucio, a man said to be a senior underboss of the group, which operates out of the Calabria region of Italy. Collucio revealed that the Italian government’s war on the mob has caused racketeers to resort to less violent but more lucrative ventures, including merchandise piracy.

Counterfeiting merchandise? Isn’t that a little more Chinatown than Little Italy? What happened to the days of getting Lira via murder, witness intimidation and more senseless violence than you can shake a salami stick at? We’re sure it’s still there in some form, but it looks like the mob has turned the page and entered the 21st century. Next thing we know, they’ll be shaking us down for our Xbox Live points.
Brief: Beckham Versus The Mob? [MLS Daily]
Image [Sun UK]