What Giletti unveiled at Non è l’Arena about orders for Chinese masks
Maxi orders for Chinese masks and investigations by the judiciary: all the details that emerged during the broadcast "Not the arena" conducted by Massimo Giletti on La7
March 2020. While Italy is grappling with the first, tragic, wave of the pandemic, the government signs some 72 million euro maxi-orders for the purchase of 801 million masks from China. Orders investigated by the prosecutor of Rome, hypothesising crimes of trafficking in illicit influences and receiving stolen goods.
The story is still tangled, but Jorge Solis, Ecuadorian trader, who spoke at Non è L'Arena , added important elements
Let's go step by step.
THE SURVEYED
Let's start with the four under investigation for different crime hypotheses.
Mario Benotti, journalist on leave and former consultant to the Prime Minister, Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, already involved in the Vatileaks affair, Antonella Appulo, former member of Graziano Delrio's staff when she was Minister of Infrastructure and Benotti's collaborator, and Andrea Vincenzo Tommasi, engineer and owner of Sunsky srl of Milan, which physically carried out the supply of the masks.
In charge of the expense, for a deal of over 1.2 billion euros, is Domenico Arcuri, extraordinary commissioner for the emergency.
THE INVESTIGATION
The investigation started a suspicious transaction report, issued by the Bank of Italy, after Andrea Vincenzo Tommasi had filed a scheme of the money remittances expected by the Chinese companies Whenzou Moon Rain, Whenzou Light and Luokai Trade (born 5 days before the order from the Italian government arrives), by way of commission, on orders.
"Of this money, about 60 million euros ended up in the account of Tommasi's Sunksy company, while another 12 million went to Microproducts It, a company managed by Benotti and 80% attributable to another company, Partecipazioni Spa , of which Benotti, his wife Daniela Guarnieri and 3.3% Guido Pugliesi (former CEO of ENAV) are partners ”, explains the Fatto Quotidiano.
JORGE SOLIS
Jorge Solis, an Ecuadorian trader, also played a role in the maxi-order, and is under investigation for trafficking in influences. Solis, in fact, would have managed, alongside other intermediaries, a large delivery of Chinese masks. Before the pandemic he was involved in the trade of soft drinks, underlined the broadcast conducted by Massimo Giletti on La7 “Non è l'Arena”.
THE TALE OF SOLIS
To tell it, exclusively at Non è l'Arena , it is Solis. “On February 21st I arrive from South America. My acquaintances from China contacted me to work with masks, ”says Solis. “Daniele Guidi called me, he has been my friend for three years, and I tell him: << Daniele, China has called me, there is an opportunity for masks >>. I contacted four or more countries and we started with masks ”.
“Daniele Guidi hands me Tommasi on the phone. Tommasi told me << Jorge, I would like you (to get me) the masks, I want credit >>. The word credit isn't in the business vocabulary and that's why I told him: << Look, I don't give credit to anyone, I don't know you and with all due respect >> ”.
Daniele Guidi is the former CEO of Banca Cis, under investigation for bankruptcy of the same financial institution, which, reveals Non è L'Arena , has been doing business with Tommasi for some time.
THE INTERVENTION OF BENOTTI
At this moment Mario Benotti comes into play. “He made me call from Benotti, who told me << Solis, you are the man… I want you to help Italy >>. There, Dr. Fabbrocini called me and said << “Solis, I'm from Invitalia, I want you to help Italy. I guarantee that my bank pays. You can make me a pro forma in the first contract for these 10 million surgical masks and 10 million for the Ffp2 >> ”.
THE WARRANTY FOR ITALY
Reassured by the Invitalia exponent, Jorge Solis calls his Chinese friend. “I call Mr. Cai and say << I put the guarantee for Italy >>. The first contract was for 27 million euros. We won because I am the creator of the price of the template. We have put in equity, of my group. Then they said: << You are good, certification… >> ”.
THE BARGAINING
And so with “Tommasi we started the intermediation, with Daniele Guidi. Italy must thank us for saving 1 billion euros, the cone masks arrived with European certification and no one has cheated, like the others who still cheat. We are calm and fair, ”Solis explained. "I have saved 1 billion euros and I have given credit to Italy for 400 million euros".
"I told all my Chinese friends << I put my face for Italy >>".
THE AWARD
The masks that will arrive in Italy will be produced by various companies: Whenzou Moon Rain, Whenzou Light and Luokai Trade. The last of these companies was born 5 days before the order from the Italian government arrived.
COMMISSIONS
The companies win a deal worth 1.2 billion euros, while the intermediaries will receive a substantial fee: 47 million to Tommasi and 12 million to Mario Benotti.
How much ends up in the hands of Jorge Solis? More than what is known. “I've received 5.8 million of Whenzou Light. I bill with my daughter's company at Whenzou Light. Whenzou Light pays my daughter who works with me ”.
I think Tommasi made other deals after he made them with me, everyone does their own business. Tommasi was paid more, he is stronger in logistics. (…) Dr. Benotti is normal after he worked with Tommasi, I with my group said << Dr. Benotti has to give a commission for the work he has undertaken >>. He never asked for a euro, nothing ”.
THE ROLE OF MARIO BENOTTI
“If the cake is big, it's normal for every person in my group to get paid,” adds Solis. “Benotti has put his face for Italy. When no one wanted to give credit to Italy he said: << help me, you are the only people who can help me. I guarantee for Italy ”. And Benotti then communicated "to the civil protection that he had found Jorge Solis and Andrea Tommasi".
“I Dr. Benotti – specifies Solis – I have never met him, every now and then he writes to me on Whatsapp: << Jorge come on, a little patience, thank you”.
THE (NOT) ROLE OF ARCURI
And Arcuri? “The story that Dr. Benotti put us in contact with Arcuri is a lie. The truth is that Dr. Tommasi is a friend of Benotti, Daniele Guidi is a friend of Tommasi. Daniele Guidi knows me as a business man, we have other things in common. Dr. Tommasi contacted me, ”says Solis.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/sanita/che-cosa-ha-svelato-giletti-a-non-e-larena-sulle-commesse-di-mascherine-cinesi/ on Tue, 26 Jan 2021 08:28:26 +0000.