26-02-2010, 06:38 PM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew...olice.html
Being linguistically challenged I have, hitherto, had to resort to free internet translation services to translate native European language articles. From past research activities (I'm now retired so no longer do much), there is a treasure trove of important native European language stories that rarely make to the Anglo-Saxon press.
It would excellent if we had more Italian, French, Spansih, German and other European nationals on the forum.
Quote:Italian billionaire surrenders to police
A billionaire telecom tycoon alleged to have been involved in one of Italy's biggest tax fraud and money-laundering scams turned himself into the authorities yesterday.
By Nick Squires in Rome
Published: 3:02PM GMT 26 Feb 2010
Silvio Scaglia, the founder of the internet services provider Fastweb, was led away by police when his private jet touched down at Rome's Ciampino airport after flying in from the Caribbean.
One of Italy's richest businessmen, he is among 56 people who are under investigation for the alleged laundering of more than two billion euros (£1.8 billion) through the fake invoicing of non-existent telephone and internet services between 2003 and 2006.
Italians are wearily familiar with companies being caught up in corruption allegations but the scope of this scandal, and the fact that it reportedly involves the Calabrian mafia, has shocked many in the business world.
It has also ensnared at least one politician – an arrest warrant has been issued for Nicola di Girolamo, a senator in Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's conservative coalition.
Mr Scaglia, 51, founded Fastweb in 1999 but sold it to the telecommunications giant Swisscom in 2007.
He has denied any wrongdoing and is due to be questioned by investigators today.
He said he was "totally confident" about the legitimacy of his conduct.
Fastweb is alleged to have evaded nearly 40 million euros (£35 million) in VAT but has claimed that it was the victim of fraudulent behaviour carried out by "third parties".
Police said they had seized a "treasure trove" of thousands of paintings and sculptures which had been bought with the proceeds from the alleged racket.
Sparkle, a subsidiary of Telecom Italia, is also being investigated for its alleged role in the scandal.
The arrests prompted Telecom Italia to announce on Thursday that it was postponing the release of its 2009 financial results in order to accurately evaluate Sparkle's earnings.
It is not just corporations under the spotlight. Italy's tax agency and fraud squad announced that they are investigating more than 2,000 Italians suspecting of trying to evade two billion euros in tax by hiding their savings in foreign tax havens.
Being linguistically challenged I have, hitherto, had to resort to free internet translation services to translate native European language articles. From past research activities (I'm now retired so no longer do much), there is a treasure trove of important native European language stories that rarely make to the Anglo-Saxon press.
It would excellent if we had more Italian, French, Spansih, German and other European nationals on the forum.
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
Carl Jung - Aion (1951). CW 9, Part II: P.14