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UNAPROL, AIPO and Oleificio Paladino, spot conflicts of interest. #CleanSpades

January 13, 2022

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Conflicts of interest between UNAPROL (Consorzio Olivicolo Italiano, headquartered at Palazzo Rospigliosi), AIPO (Italian Olive Producers Association) and Oleificio Paladino, a historic Apulian cooperative now in disgrace, are spreading like wildfire.

Coldiretti’s magic circle strikes again in illicit commingling that drains resources meant for farmers to pay for the generous appointments of the usual notables (1,2). Once again, under the absent gaze of public and private controllers. #CleanSpades.

Table of Contents

Oleificio Paladino, MiSE, Roberto Falcone

The Oleificio Paladino – Oleificio Cooperativo della Riforma Fondiaria, based in Palo del Colle (BA) – was established in 1957 and has been, for more than half a century, one of the leading players in cooperative olive growing in Puglia. The Ministry of Economic Development (MiSE), noting its bankruptcy, declared its administrative compulsory liquidation on 10.6.20. (3) And by DM 25.6.21 no. 197 appointed Mr. Roberto Falcone, an accountant in Rome, as liquidator.

However, the compulsory administrative liquidation (l.c.a.) of Oleificio Paladino has been sued in the Civil Court of Bari by UNAPROL S.c.p.a., for the restitution of assets with a value exceeding 1.3 million euros. And no one – not even the ineffable chairman of the UNAPROL board of auditors Antonio Cepparulo – seems to have noticed that that same Roberto Falcone also holds the post of liquidating commissioner of AIPO UN Scarl in liquidation, part of UNAPROL.

AIPO – UNAPROL, Roberto Falcone

Roberto Falcone has been liquidator and legal representative of AIPO UN Scarl, since 30.11.20, after it joined UNAPROL Scpa and went into liquidation. History:

– on 5.12.16, UNAPROL president (and Coldiretti vice-president) David Granieri announced the acceptance of the membership application submitted by AIPO on 5.10.16,

– on 5.3.17, MIPAAF, through Director General Felice Assenza (now ICQRF Chief Inspector), informed AGEA (General Agency for Agricultural Disbursements) ‘that it could accept the request for variation‘ to transfer to UNAPROL the public aid intended for AIPO,

– on 11/30/17 AIPO asked UNAPROL President David Granieri for capital and financial commitments on its behalf. Among them, ‘Unaprol will provide brand acquisition (…). Aipo UN and UNAPROL will work to address the pending financial issues in the head of AIPO UN itself.‘,

– on 10/25/18 Monica Rispoli, sole auditor of AIPO, reported to the UNAPROL board of auditors that her appointment to AIPO was ‘indicated by UNAPROL S.C.p.A. (of which AIPO UN is a partner)‘ and ‘the failure of the enterprise’s autonomous ability to continue operating asa going concern’,

– on 11/30/20 the shareholders’ meeting of AIPO UN Scarl in liquidation then appointed Roberto Falcone as liquidator and legal representative ‘without any limitation and with free signature‘.

Conflicts of interest. UNAPROL v. Oleificio Paladino

The multimillion-dollar litigation pending in the Court of Bari has Mr. Roberto Falcone at once liquidator of AIPO, which is part of UNAPROL (plaintiff), and legal representative of Oleificio Paladino, defendant. Between the two litigants, the third party enjoys, as he receives compensation from both sides. And he is not the only one, in an orgy of conflicts of interest already partly reported by L’Espresso and Tomorrow, as well as by the writer (2,4,5).

Giuseppina Ivone is in fact the lawyer representing UNAPROL – on behalf of David Granieri (president of UNAPROL and vice president of Coldiretti) – in the civil lawsuit against Oleificio Paladino in l.c.a. (Court of Bari, r.g. 4103/2021). Combination, it shares precisely with Roberto Falcone – as well as with Fabrizio Di Marzio, head of Coldiretti’s legal area – both the firm, along with Giuseppe Conte, and a number of professional assignments.

Updates

It was not until December 2021 – following a complaint filed with Mi.S.E. and the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Rome on 7.7.21 – that Roberto Falcone resigned as liquidator of Oleificio Paladino in l.c.a.

But how is it possible that the leaders of the Ministry of Economic Development and members of the board of auditors of UNAPROL – the Italian Olive Consortium – allowed the situation described above to occur?

#CleanSpades

The question remains as to where the judiciary stands in relation to the case at hand and the many other events reported on this website, in the #CleanVangas investigation.

The only proceedings that are still known about are those against the writer, who has been sued and harassed for exposing news based on chamber of commerce visas and public records.

What rule of law?

Dario Dongo