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‘Deep infiltration’ by Mafia in Italy’s renewables industry

By | January 23, 2013, 12:51 PM PST

Narcotics? Old news.

The latest business opportunity for an Italian mafioso is far cleaner: renewable energy.

That’s according to a surprising report in yesterday’s Washington Post, in which reporter Anthony Faiola details la Cosa Nostra’s involvement in Italy’s booming energy sector.

For the love of our sons, renewable energy is important,” wiretapped businessman Angelo Salvatore reportedly said to 79-year-old Gimbellina family crime boss Vincenzo Funari. “It’s a business we can live on.”

Wiretapped, of course, because Italian law enforcement conducted a sweep across Sicily last month “revealing years of deep infiltration into the renewable energy sector by Italy’s rapidly modernizing crime families,” Faiola reports.

Upon further consideration, it’s not a surprise. Italy’s wind and solar energy sectors were booming before they hit the skids during the recent global economic downturn, prompted by large government incentives, to the tune of billions of euros.

You can guess what happened next: in Italy, Spain and elsewhere, corruption followed. Nowhere more apparent than in Sicily, where several Italian crime families hold court.

“Roughly a third of the island’s 30 wind farms — along with several solar power plants — have been seized by authorities,” Faiola reports, with an additional $2 billion in assets frozen.

As Italy tries to rebound from its extended and extensive economic turmoil, such revelations won’t help attract the investment the nation needs to get back on its feet. For economic success, you might say Italy has to give corruption the boot.

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Andrew Nusca

About Andrew Nusca

Andrew Nusca is the editor of SmartPlanet.

Andrew Nusca

Andrew Nusca

Editor

Andrew Nusca is editor of SmartPlanet and an associate editor for ZDNet. Previously, he worked at Money, Men's Vogue and Popular Mechanics magazines. He holds degrees from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and New York University. He based in New York but resides in Philadelphia.

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Andrew Nusca

Andrew Nusca
Andrew Nusca does not hold any investments in the companies he covers.
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+3 Votes
+ -
How is this any different...
...than what has been going on in America? "Legitimate businessmen" and former politicians lobby Congress for tax credits and loans. Government agencies diligently work to put pressure competitors.

It's going to be interesting to see what was in Lisa Jackson's secret e-mail.
Posted by JohnMcGrew@...
24th Jan
+3 Votes
+ -
Not much of a difference...
The only difference is that our energy robber barons control the government here even more than they do in Italy. Their motivation is the bottom line, regardless of the environmental consequences.

http://www.smartplanet.com/business/blog/intelligent-energy/purple-wind-turbines-to-save-bats/3183/

Bat mortality is just one of the dirty little secrets about wind turbines. They kill migrating raptors, too, and they get located in less than optimum areas (with respect to both efficiency and environmental damage) because of politics and corporate greed. Big subsidies and tax incentives feather corporate nests at the expense of the taxpayer.

These industrial monstrosities can be a terrible nuisance to people living nearby and do nothing to benefit the environment on account of the so-called "green credits" that they generate, which allow other polluters to pollute more, simply by ponying up some cash.

Just another example of corporate America taking advantage of the well meaning but clueless environmentalists. A tree hugger is no match for a corporate suit when it comes to subterfuge.
Posted by omb00900@...
24th Jan
+1 Vote
+ -
It's no new..
When alcohol "prohibition" in USA, ended, mexican and north american money makers, just transformed themselves into "respectable" bussinessmen and bankers. We knew names of a bunch of them, some real famous! So... the point is not only who will be in new booming bussiness, but a worry ... I don't believe "capos" were trying to reinserte themselves to society with an accepted activities. They are really expanding their power toward industry and breeding a new generation of "mafiosi" who will manager from top, not only the gangs traditional activities of traficking drugs, persons... etc., but openly, accesing to political field. I would like to be wrong...
Posted by Irinafonts
24th Jan
-4 Votes
+ -
ALL ARE GETTING INTO RENEWABLE ENERGY THE GOOD &
The World is going to Renewable Energy at a very fast rate.

compared to how long it took oil, coal and your favorite nu-safe and very dangerous Nuclear power.

Renewable Energy

Solar, Wind, Hydro, Geothermal and others should be on the front cover of every Science Book kindergarten through high school.

Leaders and Schools in all Nations need to Teach more on Solar and Renewable Energy.

When this Old World starts getting you down. From Pollution the cost of OIL,
Heating Fuel,The Fuel you put in your Vehicles, You Electric Bills from
cooling air conditioners and lights not to speak of the Evil. The TAX that all
Governments Federal, State, County and City put on everything they can think of.
They are supposed to serve us. Not put a burden on its people. That they are
elected to serve all the people you, not their own Pocket Books.


The Wicked keep putting higher taxes on everything. Making it a Heavy
Burden on many that are already struggling just to put food on the table.
Too many Americans and People of all Nations have lost their home to the tax collector or to foreclosures
from the unjust Bankers greed and their Government leaders. More are out of work and lost their homes then
in the GREAT DEPRESSION, in the last ten years. All Americans and many Nations
need good jobs and more of them. Not more TAXES and Wars.


There is a Industry that will employ workers and is growing by more than 50%
every year. There is a clear way for all up on the roof the Sun Light is free
fuel from GOD. Some wicked in Government have been backing Coal, Oil, Gas and
the Nuclear industries for too many years. These kickbacks to them were called
Subsidizing Industry Technology and high paid scientist. Most all Wise Men and smart Economist, Environmentalists and good at heart Scientist call this padding their pockets and subsidizing back to the
Stone Age.


This might even been funny in the 1960s. If it were a Fred Flintstones and
Barny Rubble Movie. About How to aggressively systematically work with the rich
to Pollute Ground Water quality to the point it is unsafe to drink or use.
So to they make a law you can only buy water from their pipe line. And to make
the air we breathe full of Toxic Gases, Sulfur Dioxide and more Radioactive
and Acid Rain. Injuring all living things on Earth.


With Fred Flintstones to the Rescue. To help create a Healthier Environment.
For all Future Generations. By spotlighting Renewable Energy and Free Energy
like Wind and Solar. On his and his neighbor Barny Rubbles roof. Even though
the greedy wicked would do everything to stop or slow them down.


Just imagine a dream that a 100 years ago one of the smartest man to ever
live had. A dream after working with Sun Light. That all on Earth would use
Free Energy Solar Energy.


That Dream also shared by a man that dreamed this over 2,250 years ago.
Both These men showed the world in their days. That this dream of Free Energy
Solar Energy Worldwide was very possible. Both of these two wise men had
first hand worked and researched their experiments for not just days, weeks
put for many years.


One of these men used chalk on Black Board the others board was a black
stone table or floor covered with white sand and used a stick. One of these
two Brilliant men had Kings from all most every Kingdom on Earth come to him
for advice.


The other went to almost every nation on Earth. Freely on his own dime
Teaching All that had ears to hear. He would win the Nobel Prize for doing so.
For his work on Solar Energy. Only after years of doing research and when most
Scientist on Earth would not take the nomination for the Nobel Prize in 1921 and knew
it clearly belonged to this Brilliant Scientist, this Brilliant scientist was then awarded it in
1922 for the 1921 year.


Now if this was just a Pretend TV Show or a Movie from a dream. This would
be a great Sci Fi Story Line. In the 1960s or even better today. Sci Fi story
Movie or dream No.


All that i Have told you did actually really happen. Albert Einstein won the
Nobel Prize for what? When Government leaders asked him to go on stage. To
address the Scientific Community and the World. About what he was given the
Nobel Prize for. When Albert Einstein Had done so. He addressed them with his
other accomplishments. For years most Governments did not have a ear for
Einsteins Dream.


Archimedes around 250 B.C. was know most of the World over as a great
Mathematician. One of the first Scientist and Inventor of many things. Even
the first Laser Ray from the Suns Energy. Science Fiction is what you would
have though you were seeing if you could go back in time, it was real.To day
we call it The LASER, Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission. Back then it
was just called Amplification of the SUN, Archimedes Death Ray.


Thousand of years later it would be a Laser. That Albert Einstein help
make possible. That would unlock one of the first books on Earth.
The METHOD written by Archimedes. Then over more than 250 years later. When
well Faded was cut from a scroll and put into a book form, to be easier to
hide from the Romans by St. Paul. This book sold for over 2 million dollars.
In New york at Christies Auction House.


These two are at the top of the list of the Worlds Greatest Scientists,
Viewed by Scientist around the World.


Sad that for the last 25 years or so of every teacher asked no matter what
Grade k through 16. At least 80% of them did not know Archimedes. Even sadder 90%
of them could not tell you what one of the most Brilliant Scientist to ever
live on Earth. Won the Nobel Prize for.


It was for the work Albert Einstein did to show the World it could get
Free Energy, Electric from the SUN. (THE PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT).


You ask this question to any Military general 95% of them will get it right.
Even more surprising 99% of them will know more about Archimedes then most
Teachers on Earth. Generals know Energy is the key to Winning.

At almost one thousand to one Archimedes always won against what all knew was
impossible odds. Archimedes home town city of Syracuse was victorious against the
greatest Kingdoms Armies on earth many times. Syracuse once was one of the most
powerful cities in the World.


I can only ask you to please look into Solar Energy, Solar Power, Solar Panels
and Solar array on the internet under Images. To see and explore for your self
then you be the JURY.


More then 10 years ago the Internet became most of the Worlds Universities
Learning Platform. A Modern Day Archimedes Resource Center.


The Solar Energy Industry in the year 2010 and 2011 has leaped ahead farther and
faster then any other industry on Earth. The Solar Industry in the
United States of America alone, has grown by more than 50% in 2010 and
that number has gone up even higher for the 2011 year.


The strong benefits of Solar Energy is Clear Clean Air viewed in major cities
as improving air quality. Clean Cities. By all that use their brain for good .
View it as protecting the environment and Freedom from OIL , Coal and other Dirty Energy.


While many Governments has eased the Taxes on Renewable Energy . Some cities in
the states that these Legislators come from have
worked against these tax credits.

By doing so they are showing their true objectives. That they have stock in some
power plants and do not want to lose all that Money they have been taking out of
your pocket books for too many years. By taxing you on your Energy Bills. They want
to Control Power and Tax Everything they can. Not let People be free to get their
own power from the top of their own roofs.


By adding their own taxes to them. These wicked leaders think that this will take
away the incentives to harvest the Free Energy from the Sun.


The Public ability and awareness for all on Earth to use the Natural Solar Energy,
is Contributing to Production of Solar Energy Products. Making the Solar
Energy Industry the fastest growing on Earth. A Wealth of Free Energy From The SUN.


The more the wicked try to slow the Solar Energy Industry down, it only Enhances
involvement and the efforts of the Good at Heart.


through out History Many have tried to wipe the good from our history books.
Read the Bible Jesus will Bless you more then i can.


SolarWorld has been presenting a Einstein Award to personalities who have advanced
the use of solar energy and helped our Planet Earth.


We all need to tell all our Teachers and Leaders to use our Nations Energy more wisely
and efficient. Start to Teach all our Young about Renewable Energy Solar, Wind, and so on.


Not to forget Flintstones, Fred well there are many the one that is in front of all others
Started back in the 1970s and started a small catalog that has turned into a Wealth of
knowledge into Renewable Energy a book called REAL GOODS Solar Living Source Book.
By Mr. John Schaeffer.


The world is going more with SOLAR, Wind and Geothermal Powered Energy. The day of the need for Dirty Oil, Coal and Dangerous Nuclear Power are coming to a end fast.

The Freedom Element Living with Hydrogen That Dr. Addison Bain has showed the world will free most all of the need for the Power Grid and Oil CEO's.

Very soon most of the world will not need Oil or Dangerous and Disastrous Nuclear Power. Renewable Energy like Solar, Wind, Hydro and Geothermal are now replacing dirty Energy like Oil and Nuclear. Solar Energy is growing World Wide at a record pace.


Hybrid Cars are being sold all over the Earth. Soon Hybrid Vehicles that run on Electric /
Hydrogen, The Freedom Element. Will free the world from Oil and Unsafe Power.

Thanks to a Great Scientist
Dr. Addison Bains Years of work for our Nation and with the Space Program on Hydrogen.

The day will come when many will see Solar Panels on most everything. What Free Electric the sun makes will be used to split water into Hydrogen. The Hydrogen will be used to heat our homes and to cook on and put into are Hybrid Vehicles that will run on
(The Freedom Element). Very soon most all will be filling up their Vehicles at Home.
Free from the Suns Solar Energy. Just as Dr.Addison Bain has done for years The Fist Hydrogen Home Refueling Station in the World. That Dr. Addison Bain built by his self.


GOD Bless you for reading this.
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
guide your Heart.

The Lords little Helper
Paul Felix Schott
Posted by Paul Felix Schott
24th Jan
+4 Votes
+ -
Rant much?
You make scientologists sound downright rational.
Posted by ddferrari
25th Jan
+1 Vote
+ -
Why is this a "surprising report"?
If it can make money, organized crime will be involved. Whether that organized crime is the Mafia or the Yakuza or the Irish, Russian, Israeli, Ukrainian, or Chinese or [fill in the blank] equivalents is irrelevant. Whether the government(s) is/are complicit in their knowledge of such involvement is and always will be up for debate. It will happen. Not rocket surgery.
Posted by CMJRoss
28th Jan
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