Throughout the years, Pino Maniaci has dedicated his life to investigating criminal activities in Sicily. In 2014, per The Guardian, his car was set alight outside the Telejato studio, and after that, he found his two beloved dogs hanging from a metal post near his office. He continues to do his investigations despite backlash from the Mafia, and he has been placed under the protection of authorities since 2007. Maniaci’s work isn’t for naught as he has helped in the capture of many Mafia members. “We’ve put away tons of Mafioso but there are still many left,” he said in an interview with CNN.

Pino Maniaci’s quest for exposing the Mafia has become a family affair. Behind the scenes, his son Giovanni serves as the camera operator, while his wife Patrizia is Telejato’s station editor. His daughter, Letizia, reports stories just like he does (via Smithsonian Magazine). The TV studio’s walls are filled with newspaper articles, photos of Mafia members, and mugshots. Part of his reason for doing his work is his love for Sicily, which he says is a “breathtaking land” but is shadowed by its reputation for being the “land of the Mafia.” Maniaci has been the voice of those oppressed by the Mafia and are frightened to speak out. “They’re scared of the Mafioso but somebody has to do the dirty work, and I guess that’s me,” he said.