pentito

British  

/ penˈtiːto /

noun

1. a person involved in organized crime who offers information to the police in return for immunity from prosecution

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Etymology

Origin of pentito

literally: penitent

Example Sentences

The word “pentito,” in Italian, means “repented,” and has almost a religious connotation.

From Slate

Another pentito, Gaspare Spatuzza, claimed a Cosa Nostra boss had told him that Caravaggio’s Nativity had been stashed in a barn where it was “ruined, eaten by rats and hogs and burned”.

From The Guardian

The problem with pentito evidence is how to tell the truth from self-serving lies.

From The Guardian

“You don’t just believe a pentito who shoots his mouth off,” warns Hill.

From The Guardian

The latest pentito to tell a story about Caravaggio’s Nativity is Gaetano Grado.

From The Guardian