Aureliano Adami (1983-) was an Italian criminal and drug trafficker who was affiliated with the Adami clan of Ostia during the 2000s. In 2008, he formed a loose and reluctant partnership with the Romani drug dealer Spadino Anacleti (whose cousin Boris he had previously killed) and the teenage pill-pusher Gabriele Marchilli to blackmail the influential priest Monsignor Theodosiou after the priest overdosed on cocaine at a sex party, but their small-time blackmail plot drew them into an even more consequential criminal and political intrigue surrounding Theodosiou and the Roman Curia's sale of 20 acres of valuable seafront property in Ostia, an intrigue which involved Rome's criminal overlord Samurai, the Sicilian Mafia, corrupt politicians, and ambitious businesspeople such as Theodosiou's auditor Sara Monaschi.
Biography[]
Aureliano and his sister Livia
Aureliano Adami was the son of Tullio Adami and the brother of Livia Adami, and he was raised in a criminal family which engaged in drug trafficking in the seaside Ostia neighborhood of Rome. Aureliano was hot-headed, frequently getting into arguments with his father due to his immaturity and his insistence on bringing up his late mother (who had died giving birth to Aureliano); however, he had a soft spot for his sister Livia. In 2008, he brought trouble upon the Roman criminal underworld when he broke the nose of the Romani gangster Boris Anacleti for showing up at one of his clan's clubs, and Boris' cousin, the Romani crime boss Manfredi Anacleti, persuaded Rome's criminal overlord, Samurai, to have the Adami clan pay the Anacletis restitution in exchange for a halt to the Anacleti clan's transgressions onto Adami turf. Aureliano grew angry at his father's subservient relationship with Samurai (to whom he intended to sell the family's seaside property) and his father's insistence that he make things right with the Romanies, and, when he met with Boris to give him the take from the Adami clan's businesses in the northern zone, Aureliano insulted Boris and dropped the cash on the ground for one of Boris' bodyguards to pick up. After Aureliano taunted Boris over his broken nose and perceived stench, Boris threw some of the cash back at Aureliano as "a tip for services rendered", taunting Aureliano. An infuriated Aureliano later entered his truck and followed Boris as he drove away, ramming Boris' car before exiting his vehicle, dragging Boris onto the street, and slamming his head against the pavement until Boris was dead. Aureliano felt remorse upon seeing Boris' orphaned dog, but he decided to take in the dog and bury Boris' body himself, quietly disposing of Boris' body.
The three men planning the blackmail
That same night, Aureliano showed up late to an orgy where he was supposed to supply the organizer Gabriele Marchilli with cocaine, only to find that Boris' cousin Spadino Anacleti had been called by Gabriele to supply the cocaine after Gabriele grew angered at Aureliano's refusal to pick up his calls. Adami and Anacleti nearly got into a fight before Monsignor Theodosiou collapsed upon exiting a bedroom, where he had overdosed on cocaine during sex with the prostitute Isabelle Mbamba. Marchilli said that they could not call an ambulance, as the man was a priest, giving Spadino the idea to blackmail the priest into paying him a large sum. Aureliano then investigated the bedroom and stole Isabelle's phone after discovering that she had taken a video of their session for use in a blackmail plot of her own, and, after much consternation and arguments, Aureliano, Spadino, and Gabriele agreed to blackmail the Monsignor together and split the €300,000 blackmail payment evenly between them.
Aureliano confronting Ezio Quirino
At the same time, Aureliano discovered from his sister's accountant (and clandestine lover) Ezio Quirino that the businesses in his territory were losing money, but an angry Aureliano told Ezio that he should stay out of family affairs and stick to accounting, as well as telling him to go over the numbers again to ensure that he had not erred.
The blackmailers meeting to discuss Sara Monaschi's interference
Later that same day, Marchilli called his fellow blackmailers and had them meet with him in person, and he revealed that the priest had talked, and that a woman from "the Rome that matters" - who had told him to organize the party - wanted him to find the black girl. Aureliano said that he would take care of the hooker, but he said that the priest needed to know that the blackmailers were not playing. Aureliano suggested that they put a small clip of the video online without showing the priest's face, just to scare him. Anacleti then asked since when Aureliano had been in charge, and said that he did not want to take orders. Aureliano smiled and told Marchilli, "We found the only gypsy who knows how to think!" Aureliano then told Gabriele to come with him, while Anacleti returned to his fiancee.
Aureliano presenting the gun to Lele
Aureliano then drove Gabriele to confront the prostitute at her apartment building, and they were given her room number by another African immigrant prostitute. In the hallway, Aureliano produced a gun and told a reluctant Gabriele that he would have to kill the prostitute to silence her, but, when Gabriele refused to grab the gun, Aureliano calmly told Aureliano to stay in the hallway so that he would be an accomplice in the prostitute's murder if Aureliano was every caught. Gabriele proceeded to wait outside as Aureliano headed into the apartment with the handgun, and Aureliano warned Gabriele that, if he found that Gabriele was not outside the room when he came back, Gabriele would be deep in trouble with him. When Aureliano found the prostitute Isabelle, he aimed a gun at her, restrained her on her bed, and smothered her with a pillow, even as she tearfully promised that she would not tell anyone about their blackmail, but Aureliano could not bring himself to shoot through the pillow, and proceeded to leave the apartment with Lele, telling him that he had taken care of the situation.
The blackmailers meeting outside the hospital
At 4:00 PM, Aureliano, Gabriele, and Spadino met up to collect the blackmail money from the priest, and Spadino and Aureliano made fun of Gabriele for being quiet, with Aureliano saying that it must be indigestion; Gabriele said that he just wanted to get the blackmail over with. Spadino then left the vehicle, but not before Aureliano said that he didn't trust him with the money because he was a gypsy, leading to Spadino flipping Aureliano off before he walked off to make the exchange. Gabriele privately expressed his revulsion for Aureliano and Spadino's "game"-like lifestyles as professional criminals, but Aureliano joked, "It's better to have fun when you work, bro." At the same time, Aureliano and Gabriele were surprised to see a woman meet with Spadino on the park bench, and Gabriele told Aureliano that she was Sara, the woman who had him organize the party. Sara handed Spadino a packet of money, but Spadino was amused that she had only given him a tenth of the amount. While Spadino offered to view it as payment in advance, Sara said that it was the entire payment, and that it was all that the priest had. Spadino said that Sara should go back to the priest and warn him that, if he did not pay the full amount, his face would end up all over the place. Sara retorted that, if Spadino put the tape online, the police would find him in five minutes. Spadino then got up and warned Sara that the situation did not end there, but Sara declared, "I say it does." Spadino then returned to the car, threw the money into the front seat, and, when Aureliano asked what the €30,000 meant, Spadino explained that Sara said that she had given him all the priest had. An angered Aureliano proceeded to cock his gun, tuck it into his back pocket, exit the car, pop up his hood, and briskly walk into the hospital, causing Gabriele to worry where he was going. Aureliano found out from a nun in the Monsignor's hospital room that the Monsignor had left an hour earlier, and he and the others drove back to their original meeting spot, where Aureliano grew pessimistic about their chances, dismissing Gabriele's reminder that they still had the video, as the priest had gone missing. Aureliano and Spadino proceeded to split and drive off in their own cars, causing Gabriele to panic.
Livia confronting Aureliano over the dog
That night, Aureliano met with his sister at a seaside restaurant, where she confronted him over the dog that Aureliano kept at their late mother's kiosk. Aureliano claimed that he had found the dog on the street, and Livia told him that their father was right, as the kiosk would be too expensive to repair. Aureliano guessed that Livia's accountant Ezio Quirino was behind the decision, and he told her, "He needs to stick to the accounts, I already told you." Livia retorted that Quirino did the accounts well, but Aureliano said that there was something else Quirino wanted to do well. Livia remained quiet before saying that she had been sending Romolo Lucci to do Aureliano's work for him, and that, while she hadn't told their father, Aureliano needed to take care of his work himself. Aureliano told Livia that she couldn't always think about money, but Livia said that she thought of covering up Aureliano's misdeeds and of keeping the family together. Livia then asked what Aureliano was thinking about, and Aureliano said that he was thinking about why the family never had a dog. The two then laughed, and Livia recalled that, while their father didn't like dogs, their mother did. Livia then smilingly commented that Aureliano was becoming more and more like their mother, and she warned Aureliano not to bring the dog home, lest he anger their father.
Aureliano and Spadino kidnapping the priest
At 7:00 PM, Aureliano and Spadino received a call from Gabriele that he knew where the priest was, as he was preparing to join a meeting of the Roman Curia. Aureliano and Spadino came across the priest just before he could enter the commission, causing the priest to run to a dry cleaner near his home to call Sara for help as Aureliano and Spadino searched for him. Just as Aureliano and Spadino were about to lose the priest, Gabriele spotted the priest returning to his apartment and called Aureliano and Spadino with his location, and the two men followed the priest into his apartment and held him at gunpoint as he self-flagellated in penance for his sins. Aureliano said that the priest had not yet repented enough, and he had the priest continue to whip himself as Aureliano asked the priest how much he had in his bank account. The priest responded €15-20,000, but an angered Spadino grabbed him by the hair and told him that he was head of the Vatican's commission, and could thus go to the Vatican Bank and ask for money. Spadino then asked if the priest could ask the bank for €300,000, and the priest reluctantly said that he could. Aureliano then pointed a gun at Theodosiou and told him that he was coming with them to ensure that nothing was messed up, that, in the morning, Theodosiou would send someone to get the money, and the blackmailers would then forget all about Theodosiou. They then brought him to Aureliano's club, where they tied him up in the storage room.
Gabriele, Spadino, and Aureliano hanging out at the club
The three then hung out in the room next door, where Spadino humorously danced and said that the music was great. Aureliano then jokingly asked Gabriele if Spadino's moves made him want to dance, and the three shared some laughs before Spadino proposed that they toast to their success. Aureliano said that he still had things to do, and he walked out. He proceeded to drive to Isabelle's apartment, where he visited her and asked why she was a hooker. Isabelle was angry that Aureliano didn't shoot her, and that he came back anyways, and she asked why Aureliano came. Aureliano asked where Isabelle came from, and she said that she was from Rome. Aureliano was upset that Isabelle didn't want to talk, and offered to leave, only to sit on her bed. In spite of their violent first meeting, the two proceeded to spend the night together as lovers, starting a relationship.
Aureliano offering Isabelle payment
The next morning, Aureliano offered Isabelle payment for the night before, and to forget about what had happened earlier, but Isabelle hinted to him that she forgave him, and she also refused to take Aureliano's money. Aureliano then told her to use the money to get a nice dress, as he wanted to see her wearing it the next time he came by, and he left the money on her desk as he left, causing her to smile as Aureliano exited the building. Aureliano then met with Gabriele outside, and Gabriele slyly said that he was glad that Aureliano hadn't killed the girl, and Aureliano said that it would have been a waste.
Aureliano attacking Spadino
Aureliano and Gabriele then drove to meet Spadino at his club, hoping to check in on the priest. When Aureliano asked how the priest was doing, Spadino said that he had to set him free. Aureliano was enraged, and Spadino explained that Samurai visited him that morning. While Aureliano stormed out, Gabriele asked what Samurai said, and Spadino said that Samurai knew that they had kidnapped the priest and were blackmailing him. When Gabriele asked if Samurai knew about himself and Aureliano, Spadino angrily said that Samurai knew nothing about them. Aureliano then returned and said that Spadino should have talked to him before doing anything, and he then insulted Gabriele as "a cop's son" and Spadino as a "gypsy scumbag" who was like his brother, except that Manfredi was a "man". The two proceeded to fight, with Aureliano choking Spadino, and Spadino daring Aureliano to kill him. Gabriele helped to break up the fight, and Aureliano told Spadino that he never wanted to see him again.
Aureliano abandoning his dog
Aureliano was surprised to return home to see several guards loitering around, and, when Aureliano asked what had happened, his father said that Spadino Anacleti's cousin had been killed. Aureliano feigned ignorance and, while his father was suspicious of him, Aureliano said that it wasn't him, and naively said that nobody would care about a dead Gypsy. However, his sister later confronted him over the ownership of the dog and Aureliano's actions, and Aureliano confided in her that he had killed Boris Anacleti. His sister forced a reluctant Aureliano to let his bulldog go, so as to erase any of his ties to the murder, while his sister vouched for him to their father and ensured that nobody witnessed the murder. Aureliano attempted to abandon the dog at a public park, but he ultimately could not abandon the animal, to whom he had grown attached. Aureliano then met one-on-one with Spadino, where he insinuated that he had killed Boris, and said that it had nothing to do with how he felt about Manfredo, and asked him not to let their families come between them. Aureliano then drove off.
Isabelle tending to Aureliano's wounds
That night, as Aureliano played with the dog on the beach, he was confronted by his angry father and by Livia, as Livia had told their father about Aureliano's role in the murder. Aureliano and his father got into a fight before Livia shot the dog, causing Adami to grieve and ask what Livia had done; Livia said that the dog was trouble, and had to go. As Aureliano buried the dog that night, he was shot in the back by the Anacletis, who arrived and attempted to kill him. Aureliano ran through a scrapyard, where Spadino encountered him and decided to spare him; he told Aureliano to leave, and Gabriele pulled up in his car, enabling Aureliano to escape. Aureliano's wounds were tended to by Mbamba the next morning, and, when Gabriele told him about his debt of €30,000, Aureliano told Gabriele that he would help him. He also asked Gabriele to set up a meeting between him and Spadino.
Later that day, Gabriele met up with Aureliano to discuss their plan for acquiring the €30,000; Tullio interrupted their conversation and told them to move from the living room to Aureliano's bedroom, as Samurai and Livia walked in for a meeting; Samurai noticed Gabriele, his debtor, talking with Aureliano. Aureliano went on to tell Gabriele that he would give him the money to repay his debts by robbing the Monsignor's apartment. As Gabriele distracted the doorman, Aureliano entered the apartment and stole luxury watches and a gold cross, but he grew disturbed to find a folder containing photographic evidence of the upcoming Ostia land deal. Aureliano returned home and angrily confronted his father and sister for preparing to sell their land to Samurai, and he accused his father of being Samurai's slave; Tullio was hurt and angered, and Livia pointed out that Tullio had stood up for Aureliano in front of Samurai. Aureliano accused his father of not loving him ever since he was born, claiming that his father blamed him for his mother's death; he then swore at his father and stormed off.
Aureliano returned to Gabriele and angrily confronted him about leaving him, and he then said that they were even. He showed Gabriele the priest's looted belongings, and his father Tullio then walked in, allowing Aureliano to introduce Gabriele to him. Tullio was very grateful for Gabriele saving his son, and he told him that they would talk later. Aureliano said that his father wouldn't bother them, as he was off to his weekly hook-up with his prostitute, as he had been doing for years. Aureliano then told Gabriele to go off and do what he had to do to settle the debt, and Gabriele left. That night, unbeknownst to Aureliano, Gabriele killed Aureliano's father to settle his debt with Samurai. Meanwhile, Aureliano met up with Spadino and rekindled their friendship.
Isabelle consoling Aureliano
The next morning, after Aureliano found out about his father's murder, he immediately began plotting revenge, blaming the Anacletis and preparing for war. He rudely dismissed his sister's lover and the family's accountant Ezio Quirino, saying that wars were not waged with abacuses. Samurai warned him not to to anything rash, but Aureliano showed the same defiance that his father had showed Samurai, causing Samurai to promptly leave. Aureliano soon found himself outmaneuvered by his sister and Quirino, who secured the loyalty of the Adami clan's subsidiary families and the support of Samurai, and also took over the clan's finances. Aureliano discovered his sister's betrayal after walking in on her meeting with the clan's lieutenants, and he told his sister that he had seen her true colors and was disgusted. Adami, feeling betrayed and alone, went to Isabelle's apartment, where she consoled him.
The trio agreeing to work together
Aureliano then showed up at his father's funeral, where he and his sister said that there would be a place in the family for each other, and Aureliano left after his brief apperance. Aureliano then summoned Gabriele and Spadino to meet up with him on the beach at Ostia, where he said that they should pick up where they left off with "Friar F**k" and take over the Ostia beachfront for themselves, both the Adami clan's portion and the Church's portion. Aureliano said that each of them would be able to spit in the face of certain people: Adami at Samurai, Spadino at his brother, and Gabriele at whomever he wanted to get back at. He warned them that politicians, priests, and Samurai would come after them, but the three agreed to work together, each saying, "Totally."
Monaschi conspiring with the youngsters
Gabriele surprised his lover Sara Monaschi the next day by taking her to meet Adami and Anacleti, whom Monaschi recognized as the blackmailers of Theodosiou. Monaschi grew enraged that Gabriele had been in league with them all along, and she slapped him and attempted to leave, before Adami drew a gun. He demanded that she use her power to persuade Monsignor Theodosiou and the Vatican Bank to sell the Ostia beachfront property to them, and Gabriele attempted to persuade her that it would be the only way to keep the beachfront out of Samurai's hands. Monaschi initially refused, and, while Gabriele drove her home, she pulled the emergency brake and stormed out of the car after Gabriele said that both of them used people and discarded them once they were useless. However, Monaschi gave the offer some thought and persuaded her husband that they could give half of their near-bankrupt company's shares to the three young men in exchange for them warding off Samurai as Monaschi secured the beachfront property for her husband's company. Monaschi returned to the trio and told them that she would acquire the beachfront property for her husband's company, and that she would make the trio partners, with 50% of the shares; Anacleti negotiated an increase to 60% to make it easier to split among the three. Monaschi then warned the youngsters that Samurai also wanted the land, and Adami grew uneasy, saying that he believed that Monaschi wanted them to kill Samurai. Adami decided to renegotiate, demanding 75% of the company's shares, as well as Theodosiou's location, so that she would not sell out the trio to Samurai. Adami decided that Marchilli would go with Monaschi to sign the papers, while Adami and Anacleti would go to get the priest.
Adami and Anacleti at the abbey
Adami and Anacleti then drove to the abbey outside Rome where Theodosiou was on a retreat, and Anacleti found out that the abbey closed at nine, and that six monks lived on the second floor of the abbey; when Adami asked how Anacleti knew that, Anacleti pointed to two homeless people sitting next to the abbey. The two men snuck into the abbey that night and chased Theodosiou to the top of the abbey's tower, where he locked himself behind a gate. The two men said that Sara sent them to collect the priest, so the priest said that he wanted to speak to Sara. Anacleti and Adami called Sara and Gabriele, and they enjoyed spaghetti made by Anacleti from the abbey's kitchen as Sara and Gabriele made their way to the abbey. Sara went alone to speak to the priest alone as the youngsters waited in the courtyard, but Theodosiou was unwilling to accompany Sara and instead let himself fall from the tower to his death as Sara screamed, "No!" The youngsters were shocked to look upon the priest's body, knowing that his death complicated their plans.