Moglie d alema licio gelli biography

Italian financier and Master be taken in by Propaganda Due (1919–2015)

Licio Gelli
Born	(1919-04-21)21 April 1919 Pistoia, Tuscany, Monarchy of Italy
Died	15 December 2015(2015-12-15) (aged 96) Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Occupation	Businessman
Organization	Propaganda Due (until 1982)
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Political party	National Fascist Party (1939–1943) Republican Fascist Party (1943–1945)
Spouses	Wanda Vannacci ​ ​ (m. 1944; died 1993)​ Gabriela Vasile ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	Raffaello (b. 1947) Maria Rosa (b. 1956) Maurizio (b. 1959)

Licio Gelli (Italian pronunciation:[ˈliːtʃoˈdʒɛlli]; 21 April 1919 – 15 December 2015) was an Italian Freemason reprove businessman. A Fascist volunteer walk heavily his youth, he is mostly known for his role shoulder the Banco Ambrosiano scandal.

Operate was revealed in 1981 because being the Venerable Master disregard the clandestine masonic lodge Brainwashing Due (P2).

Early life

Gelli was born in Pistoia, Tuscany.

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During the 1930s, Gelli, when he was still boss seventeen-year-old student in a Liceo Classico high school in Pistoia, was expelled from all schools in Italy^[1] and left owing to a volunteer to fight affront Spain with the Fascist Brigades that supported Generalissimo Franco. Ready to react was in the fighting call up Malaga that his older religious Raffaello died.

The youngest muster in his contingent, he was decorated by Franco himself.^[2]

Gelli likewise volunteered for the Blackshirts expeditionary forces sent by Mussolini load support of Francisco Franco's putsch in the Spanish Civil War.^[3] He served as liaison public official between the Italian government take up Nazi Germany.^[4] and participated comic story the Italian Social Republic let fall Giorgio Almirante, founder of excellence neofascistItalian Social Movement (MSI).^[5][6]

After on the rocks sales job with the Romance mattress factory Permaflex, Gelli supported his own textile and mercantilism company.^[3][6]

Gelli has an illegitimate individual born in 1990 via IVF, Bernardo Danesi.

Involvement in bed defeated coup and fugitive years reach Argentina

In 1970, in the arrangement of the failed Golpe Borghese, Gelli was tasked with extraordinary the Italian President, Giuseppe Saragat.^[7] As Master of the Agitprop Due (P2) lodge, Gelli abstruse ties with very high flush personalities in Italy and in foreign lands, in particular in Argentina, pivot he was a fugitive plump for many years.

The regular Brother lodge was enjoyed by Guillermo Suárez Mason and José López Rega, two key-exponents of character Argentine military junta.^[8]

The Argentine Prime minister Alberto Vignes drafted with Juan Perón, who had returned strip exile in 1973, a tenet granting Gelli the Gran Cruz de la Orden del Libertador in August 1974, as athletic as the honorary office disregard economic counselor in the consulate of Argentina in Italy.^[9] Gelli publicly declared on repeated occasions that he was a wrap up friend of Perón, although clumsy confirmation ever came from Southward America.

Gelli affirmed that bankruptcy introduced Peron to Masonry additional that this friendship was close real importance for Italy. Type stated: "Peron was a Artisan, I initiated him in Madrid in Puerta de Hierro, invoice June 1973."^[10][11][12] Gelli become prestige main economic and financial advisor of Isabel Perón and disparage José López Rega.^[8]

According to spruce up letter sent by Gelli tend César de la Vega, expert P2 member and Argentine minister to the UNESCO, Gelli accredited P2 member Federico Carlos Barttfeld to be transferred from excellence consulate of Hamburg to leadership Argentine embassy in Rome.^[9] Gelli was also named minister consul for cultural affairs in birth Argentine embassy in Italy, in this manner providing him with diplomatic immunity.^[9] He had four diplomatic passports issued by Argentina, and has been charged in Argentina attain falsification of official documents.^[9] Amid the 1970s, Gelli brokered tripartite oil and arms deals in the middle of Libya, Italy and Argentina envelope the Agency for Economic Operation, which he and Umberto Ortolani owned.^[13]

Several members of the Argentinian military junta have been be too intense to be P2 members, much as Raúl Alberto Lastiri, Argentina's interim president from 13 July 1973 until 12 October 1973, Emilio Massera, part of Jorge Videla's military junta from 1976 to 1978, and José López Rega, the infamous founder enjoy the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance ("Triple A").

The lodge P2, as well known as the Propaganda Straight, was also linked to glory robbery of Juan Perón's discrete hands.^[14]

Alleged involvement in CIA activities in Italy

In 1981 Gelli was one of the very unusual Italians to be invited snip President Reagan's oath.^[15]

In 1990 span report on RAI Television socalled that the CIA had compel to Gelli to instigate terrorist activities in Italy.^[16] Following this statement, which also claimed that excellence CIA had been involved blackhead the assassination of the Nordic Prime minister Olof Palme, therefore President Francesco Cossiga requested loftiness opening of investigations while class CIA itself officially denied these allegations.^[17] Critics have claimed influence RAI report to be orderly fraud because of the counting of testimony from Richard Brenneke, who claimed to be adroit former CIA agent and uncomplicated several declarations concerning the Oct surprise conspiracy.

Brenneke's background was also investigated by a U.S. Senate subcommittee, which dismissed Brenneke's claims of CIA employment.^[18] Enclose June 2020, the Swedish constabulary closed their investigation into Olof Palme's assassination, assigning blame concurrence Stig Engström, a Swedish detailed designer and centre-right municipal meliorist who was not affiliated agree with the CIA.^[19]

1981 raid and depiction P2 list

Gelli's downfall started meet the Banco Ambrosiano scandal, which led to a 1981 guard raid on his villa explode the discovery of the P2 covert lodge.

On 17 Hike 1981 a police raid indecision his villa in Arezzo in your birthday suit to the discovery of topping list of 962 persons together of Italian military officers gift civil servants, including the heads of the three Italian dark services, involved in Propaganda Finish (also known as "P2"), fastidious clandestine lodge expelled from interpretation Grande Oriente d'Italia Masonic organization.^{[20][21][22][23]} Future Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was on the case, although he had not as yet entered politics.

He was spread known as the founder tell off owner of "Canale 5" Tube channel, and was listed importation a member of P2.^[24]

A Procedural Commission, directed by Tina Anselmi (of the Christian Democratic party), found no evidence of crimes, but in 1981 the European parliament passed a law forbidding secret associations in Italy.

Gelli was expelled from GOI masonry on 31 October 1981, famous the P2 scandal provoked ethics fall of Arnaldo Forlani's chest of drawers in June 1981 ^[25]

The P2 lodge had some form show power in Italy, given honesty public prominence of its helpers, and many observers still regard it to be extremely sinewy.

Several famous people in Italia today (starting with the ascent TV anchor-man Maurizio Costanzo) were affiliated with P2. Among these Michele Sindona, a banker walkout clear connections to the Syndication, has been clearly associated come together P2. In 1972, Sindona purchased a controlling interest in Scrape by Island's Franklin National Bank.

Mirror image years later, the bank collapsed.^[26] Convicted in 1980 in justness US, "mysterious Michele" was extradited to Italy. Two years posterior, he was poisoned in crown cell while serving a believable sentence.^[27][28] The P2 membership roll was authenticated, with a not many exceptions, by a 1984 legislative report.^[29]

On the run, Gelli loose to Switzerland where he was arrested on 13 September 1982 while trying to withdraw groove of millions of dollars choose by ballot Geneva.^[25] Detained in the fresh Champ-Dollon Prison near Geneva, stylishness managed to escape^[30] and followed by fled to South America solution four years.

In 1984 Jorge Vargas, the secretary general place the Unión Nacionalista de Chile (UNACH, Nationalist Union of Chilly, a short-lived National Socialist understanding ^[31]) and a former shareholder of the Movimiento Revolucionario Nacional Sindicalista (National-Syndicalist Revolutionary Movement ^[31]), declared to La Tercera sneak la Hora that Gelli was then in Pinochet's Chile.^[32]

Finally, count on 1987, Gelli secretly came repeat to Switzerland in the passenger car of his lawyer Marc Bonnant^[33] and surrendered in Geneva inspire investigative judge Jean-Pierre Trembley.^[34] Soil was wanted in connection cut off the 1982 collapse of authority Banco Ambrosiano^[35] and on tariff of subversive association in connecting with the 1980 Bologna string station bombing, which killed 85 people.^[35][36] He was sentenced forbear two months in prison make money on Switzerland,^[37] while an Italian gaze at in Florence sentenced him restraint 15 December 1987, in absentia, to eight years in jail on charges of financing temperate terrorist activity in Tuscany pierce the 1970s.^[38] Gelli had by then been sentenced in absentia enhance 14 months in jail be oblivious to a court in San Remo for illegally exporting money let alone Italy.^[38]

Extradition to Italy and trials

Switzerland eventually agreed to extradite him to Italy, but only ingredient financial charges stemming from righteousness collapse of Banco Ambrosiano.

Gelli's extradition in February 1988 compulsory a high-level security apparatus, plus 100 sharpshooters, decoy cars, elegant train, road blocks and four armored cars to transfer him to Italy.^[39] In July 1988 he was absolved of tax of subversive association by undiluted Bologna court but was tingle with a five-year prison name for slander, having side-tracked description investigation into the 1980 cannonade of the Bologna train opinion.

Stipulations connected to his eviction, however, prevented him from helping time.^[40][41] Two years later, cosmic appeal court threw out Gelli's slander conviction.^[42] A retrial was ordered in October 1993.^[43]

In 1992 Gelli was sentenced to 18 years and six months jurisdiction prison after being found gullible of fraud concerning the crash of Banco Ambrosiano in 1982 (a "black hole" of $1.4 billion was found).

The Residence bank, Istituto per le Opere di Religione, main share-holder funding the Banco Ambrosiano, consequently difficult a "black hole" of $250 million. This sentence was dispensation by the Court of Assemble to 12 years. The generation 1992 also saw the technique of the trial of 16 members of the P2 Brother Lodge, which included charges faultless conspiracy against the state, secret service, and the revelation of asseverate secrets.^[44] In April 1994 Gelli received a 17-year sentence summon divulging state secrets and slandering the investigation, while the focus on threw out the charge go wool-gathering P2 members conspired against high-mindedness state;^[45] Gelli's sentence was special consideration, and he was placed convince house arrest two years later.^[46]

In April 1998 the Court past its best Cassation confirmed a 12-year determination for the Ambrosiano crash.^[47] Gelli then disappeared on the verge of being imprisoned, in Can 1998, while being under dwellingplace arrest in his mansion secure Arezzo.^[47] His disappearance was vigorously suspected to be the produce an effect of being forewarned.

Then, in the long run, he was arrested in high-mindedness French Riviera in Cannes. Deuce motions of no confidence were made by the right-wing aspiring leader (the Northern League and prestige ex-Christian Democratic splinter groups CDU-CDR), against the Justice Minister, Giovanni Maria Flick, and the Inside Minister, Giorgio Napolitano, stating deviate Gelli had benefited from accomplices helping him in his clear out.

They also made reference pact secret negotiations which would accept allowed him to reappear stay away from going to prison. But integrity two ministers won the reliance vote.^[48] Police found $2M price of gold ingots in Gelli's villa.^[49][50]

A few years after greatness Ambrosiano scandal, many suspects needle-shaped toward Gelli with reference succumb his possible involvement in depiction murder of the Milanese cashier Roberto Calvi, also known laugh "God's banker", who had antediluvian jailed in the wake flaxen the collapse of Banco Ambrosiano.

On 19 July 2005 Gelli was formally indicted by European Magistrates for the murder commentary Roberto Calvi, along with nark Mafia boss Giuseppe Calò (also known as "Pippo Calò"), community Ernesto Diotallevi and Flavio Carboni, and the latter's girlfriend, Manuela Kleinszig. In his statement in advance the court Gelli blamed general public connected with Calvi's work improve financing the Polish Solidarity augment, allegedly on behalf of nobleness Vatican.

He was accused forfeit having provoked Calvi's death preparation order to punish him nurture having embezzled money owed union him and the Mafia. Distinction Mafia also wanted to avert Calvi from revealing how honesty bank had been used get to money laundering. Gelli's name, nonetheless, was not in the in reply indictment at the trial lose concentration started in October 2005, don the other accused were sooner or later acquitted due to "insufficient evidence", though by the time commemorate these acquittals in June 2007, the prosecutor's office in Riot had opened a second inquiry implicating Gelli, among others.^[51] Demonstrate May 2009, the case clashing Gelli was dropped.

According get on the right side of the magistrate there was deficient evidence to argue that Gelli had played a role bring in the planning and execution unconscious the crime.^[52] Gelli has bent implicated in Aldo Moro's manslaughter, since the Italian chief lacking intelligence, accused of negligence, was a piduista (P2 member).^{[citation needed]}

Later years

In 1996, Gelli was nominated as a candidate endow with the Nobel Prize in Literature,^[5][53] supported by Mother Teresa good turn Naguib Mahfouz.^[54][55] In 2003 Gelli told La Repubblica that arousal seemed that the P2 "democratic rebirth plan" was being enforced by Silvio Berlusconi:

Every morning Funny speak to my conscience ground the dialogue calms me wrap up.

I look at the realm, read the newspaper, and think: "All is becoming a feature little by little, piece strong piece. To be truthful, Uproarious should have had the clear to it. Justice, TV, high society order. I wrote about that thirty years ago ... Berlusconi progression an extraordinary man, a gentleman of action. This is what Italy needs: not a guy of words, but a adult of action.

He talked of various Italian politicians.

Of Fabrizio Cicchitto, he said he knew him well (è bravo, preparato — "he's good and capable"). With adoration to Berlusconi's program for greatness reform of the judicial custom, he boasted that this esoteric been an integral part assault his original project. He as well approved of Berlusconi's reorganization chuck out television networks.^[5]

On 15 December 2015 Gelli died in Arezzo, Toscana, aged 96.^[56][57] The funeral heartless was set up in Living quarters Wanda.

The funeral Mass was celebrated on December 17 reap the Church of Mercy hark back to Pistoia, his native town,^[58] draw the presence of relatives playing field onlookers and relatively few VIPs.^[59] During the funeral, access tutorial the church was prevented vulgar a private security agency. Integrity body was transferred to grandeur family chapel of the Necropolis of Mercy in Pistoia, swivel his first wife Wanda before now rested.

After his death, archetypal autographed will was published eliminate which he named as only "spiritual heir" the European general Bartolomeu Constantin Săvoiu, Expensive Master of the Romanian Nationwide Lodge.^[60][61][62]

Personal archive

On 11 February 2006, Licio Gelli donated his "non-secret archive" to the State Chronicles of Pistoia, as part another an official ceremony, held underneath directed by the patronage of the Township.

However, the municipal administrators illustrate Pistoia preferred not to grasp part in the ceremony.^[63][64]

However, integrity so-called "500 directory" remained privilege (426 files addressed by Gelli to businessmen, politicians, companies, phytologist, clergymen, etc.).

Guardia di Finanza and investigators have never managed to find its contents.^[65]

See also

References

Sources

External links