Despite structural and operational differences, Italian mafiasshare an ability to expand and infiltrate global economies whilstremaining rooted within their local territory. They are not onlythe product of specific socio-economic and political conditionsbut also of the extensive complicity on which they can count. It isthis fertile‘grey zone’of mafia relations with accomplices identi-fied as enablers, facilitators, sponsors and helpers that is ana-lysed here. Engaging with the existing literature and usinga range of new judicial sources, including evidence from mafiatrials, this article develops in-depth case studies to identify andexamine the hidden face of Italian mafias