In late 1990, Grassi began to refuse to pay up, as did an estimated 50% of Palermo businesses. The extortionists demanded money "for their poor friends in jail" and threatened to kill him. On January 10, 1991, Grassi wrote an open letter in the "Giornale di Sicilia", a Palermo daily, that began "Dear extortionist," in which he denounced the Mafia's demands for protection money and publicly announced his refusal to pay. The same day, he reported the names of his would-be extortionists to the police, a move that resulted in five arrests in March.