Mafia prince turned lawyer Leonardo Rizzuto arrested in massive Quebec crime raid, bar suspends licence

The Barreau du Québec has provisionally suspended the law license of prominent lawyer Leonardo Rizzuto, effective July 2, following his arrest in a sweeping police operation targeting organized crime.

Rizzuto, 56, was licensed in 1999 and practiced in Montreal and Laval. He is the youngest son of the late Vito Rizzuto, once Montreal’s most powerful Mafia boss, and is believed to currently lead the infamous Rizzuto crime family

About 150 officers from the Montreal Police (SPVM) and the Sûreté du Québec executed coordinated raids in cities across Quebec as part of "Project Alliance," a three-year investigation into organized crime. The operation led to 11 arrests of men aged 27–57 with alleged ties to the Italian Mafia, the Hells Angels, and street gangs..


Rizzuto and six others were charged with first-degree murder in the 2011 killing of alleged Montreal Mafia member Lorenzo Lopresti. All 11 suspects are accused of involvement in multiple murders or attempted murders between 2011 and 2021, either as perpetrators or accomplices.

Under Article 122.0.1 of Quebec’s Code of Professions, any lawyer charged with offenses carrying sentences of five years or more must face licence suspension to protect public trust. The Barreau’s disciplinary council acted swiftly after Rizzuto was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. While the suspension is temporary, it bars him from practicing law or using the title "lawyer" during criminal proceedings.

Rizzuto carries a heavy name; his father, Vito “Teflon Don” Rizzuto, once led Canada’s most powerful Mafia network until he died in 2013. The Rizzuto lineage dates back to Nicolo Rizzuto, who in the 1970s seized Montreal's Sicilian Mafia leadership amid violent turf wars.

At a press conference, SQ Chief Insp. Marc Charbonneau called the arrests a “major blow… one of the most significant operations in recent decades”. Deputy director Benoit Dubé emphasized how the probe provided closure for victims’ families:

“Every act of violence … police joined together … to give some answers back to the families.”

Retired detective André Gélinas described Rizzuto’s arrest as symbolic, effectively decapitating the Rizzuto family’s leadership.