FINMECCANICA SPREADS ITS CANCER OF CORRUPTION WORLDWIDE.

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~

Finmeccanica Rapes & Pillages Latin America

Finmeccanica, the Italian conglomerate, allegedly pushed through corrupt defense deals not merely in India. Its sooty footprints cover Panama, Brazil and perhaps also Indonesia.

The Panamanian contract involved a sale of six helicopters for the Navy, radars for coastal surveillance and digital mapping system. The aggregate worth of the purchase deal was pegged at $253 million.

The then Italian Prime Minister flew down to Panama City to ink the deal with Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli on June 30, 2010. The suppliers were AgustaWestland, Selex Sistemi and Telespazio — all subsidiaries of Finmeccanica.

Panama was happy to receive six maritime patrol boats as freebies from Italy. But soon a controversy erupted as it became widely known that the three companies were actually part of the same conglomerate.

The purchase orders, placed directly without mandatory tendering, were processed through a single agent Valter Lavitola. Valter Lavitola, the face of Finmeccanica in Panama, was a close confidante of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Later on it was discovered that Lavitola actually had plans to blackmail Berlusconi for €5 million in the ‘Tarantini sex scandal’. Arrested in April 2012, Lavitola is now facing charges of bribery and money laundering. Panama was outraged when it was found that the coastal surveillance radars were grossly overpriced.

The Latin American nation got 5o radars for $125 million. It was obscenely high when compared with Turkey’s. Turkey had recently procured the same gadget in same quantity from the same company for a mere $33 million. This artificial over-invoicing is suspected to be a ploy to generate slush funds for political purpose.

The then Selex Sistemi Chief Marina Grossi is now facing charges of false invoicing and embezzlement. Her husband Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, Chairman of Finmeccanica for nine years, felt compelled to step down in December 2011. He was replaced by Giuseppe Orsi. Paolo Pozzesere, the then Commercial Director of Finmeccanica was also arrested from Naples in October 2012 to stand trial.

It is perhaps no coincidence that investigations gathered steam after Italian Mario Monti became the Prime Minister on November 9, 2011. The Government of Italy, which owns 30 per cent shares in Finmeccanica, considers the scandals spanning Panama, Brazil and India a slur on its image. But Monti’s discredited predecessor Berlusconi apparently had other ideas. His recent exclamation that bribery is an accepted part of defense deals worldwide is no faux pas.

His complicity is becoming quite apparent. His trusted political aides are coming under the cloud. The investigating magistrates Vincenzo Piscitelli and Henry John Woodcock have in their possession a taped telephone conversation between Pozzesero and Berlusconi. In that taped conversation dated July 7, 2011 Berlusconi is heard suggesting a $600 million transport aircraft deal with Indonesian Air Force to benefit Finmeccanica. Claudio Scajola, a trusted Minister in Berlusconi Cabinet, is under probe over a shady contract for supplying naval frigates to Brazil.

Finmeccanica and Fincantieri, an Italian shipbuilding company based inTrieste, had entered into negotiations with the Brazilian Government for supply of 11 military frigates. Scajola, being Minister for economic development, should have no legitimate concern with the deal. But his personal friendship with then Brazilian Defence Minister Nelson Jobim apparently helped the deal.

Lorenzo Borgogni, former Director, Industrial Relations, Finmeccanica has told the investigating magistrates that the Brazilian deal involved “11 per cent return” (kickback). Scajola incidentally resigned from his post Berlusconi Government in a private housing project scandal. With Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi arrested and being probed over supply of 12 AgustaWestland helicopters to India, the conglomerate’s finesse for corruption lies exposed.

No wonder the developments in India are being closely followed in Panama where Lavitola is now testifying against President Martinelli and his Administration who received millions of dollars of bribes from Finmeccanica and their associates.

READ MORE ON : www.wantedsa.com