Major figure in Antonini scandal rearrested in Italy

FROM A
DIFFERENT ANGLE by Kenneth Rijock

Financial Crime Consultant, for World-Check

29 January 2008

An authoritative Italian source has revealed that Walter Alexander del Nogal, the reputed leader of the criminal organisation allegedly involved in the Antonini money laundering scandal, has been quietly rearrested by Italian law enforcement agents. Del Nogal, who was in custody on pending charges of narcotics trafficking with the Sicilian Mafia, was released last week by a magistrate under questionable circumstances, in violation of both Italian and international law, was mysteriously due to be summarily deported, notwithstanding that he is wanted in Switzerland for escape from prison, and also has a reported detainer lodged by the United States. He has now been taken back into custody. The order for his re-arrest reportedly came directly from the senior judge in that court.

Was Del Nogal's release due, in part, to the huge global public and private outcry following his release from prison? The issues involved are serious:

Allegations continue to fly that there were private meetings in Caracas between Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, and senior Italian government officials, following which del Nogal was curiously released, even though he was originally arrested upon the orders of a magistrate investigating Mafia crime in Italy.

After his initial release, del Nogal contacted Venezuelan media, and alleged that his arrest was politically motivated, that no evidence existed against him, and that he would soon be back in Venezuela in person. He is alleged to have been the supervisor of a money laundering operation, involving Guido Antonini Wilson, amongst others, some of whom are under arrest in Miami upon related charges, that reportedly moved cash into Argentina for the Kirschner presidential election campaign.

Media sources believed to be under the control of the government of Venezuela have sought to disassociate venezuela's leaders with del Nogal since his initial arrest, notwithstanding that he is a senior adviser to DISIP, Venezuela's intelligence and security police. In addition, articles maligning this author have been published, claiming that our news stories, involving the Antonini defendants and del Nogal, are untrue and politically motivated. Wild accusations have surfaced in Venezuela, accusing Venezuelans in exile who are opposed to the Chavez regime of paying millions of Euros to secure del Nogal's release. we have made extensive enquiries on this point, and there is absolutely no factual basis for this scandalous disinformation, which comes from pro-government media,* and is intended to discredit objective reporting of the case.

Since del Nogal was taken into custody in the possession of a bogus passport, his abruptly announced deportation was another suspicious circumstance, for a legitimate travel document would certainly be required for a lawful deportation of a national whose country of citizenship is known.

Was del Nogal released through unofficial diplomatic pressure at the highest level, and were members of the Italian government's Chamber of Deputies involved? Visits to Venezuela by high-level Italian left-wing and Communist Deputies on or before the date and time of his release appear to bear out the rumours and statements. But which official actually agreed to release him, in contravention of Italian law, and in spite of the Swiss warrant for his arrest and extradition and did he himself not commit a crime?

Will del Nogal be turned over to American authorities, and will he ultimately play a central role as a witness in the Antonini Miami Federal case, which is scheduled for trial in March? Will he be interrogated, and will we learn about the Argentinian conspirators in the money laundering scandal? These questions and more remain unanswered, but World-Check will be watching.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ * the most libelous articles were published in Noticiero Digital, whose editors appear to have failed to moderate the articles published there. For example, Noticiero continued to publish articles stating that del Nogal was released last Fall, notwithstanding that he has been in custody since September, in an Italian prison.

The facts and opinions stated in this article are those of the author and not those of World-Check. World-Check does not warrant the accuracy of any facts and opinions stated in this article, does not endorse them, and accepts no responsibility for them.

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