Albanian Banker Murdered in Mafia-Style Hit

Police spokeswoman Alma Katragjini said in a statement that 58-year-old banker Santo was shot at 9.30am local time outside his office in the central Blloku neighborhood of Tirana.  

Katrigjini said that the motive for the murder was unclear; a group of investigators has been assembled to probe it.

Local media reported that Santo was approached by two masked assailants on a motorbike and shot six times.

Santo was the co-founder and executive director of Credins Bank, one of Albania’s largest private banking institutions.

He had formerly served as the executive director of the state-owned Saving Bank of Albania, and was a shareholder in two media companies, Focus Group and TV Scan.

Focus Group is the publisher of the daily Gazeta Shqiptare and owns the 24-hour news broadcaster News 24. TV Scan is a business news station.

While expressing his condolence to family members and friends, former Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha criticised the government for what he said was a total absence of law and order.

“I strongly condemn this ugly act, proof that law and order does not exist or it is being controlled by criminals and the mafia,” Berisha said.

Security camera photo of suspectes beleived to have gunned down Albanian banker Artan Santo. Police are offering a 100,000 euro reward for any information leading to an arrest.