Dominica’s ambassador to the FAO on INTERPOL’s most wanted list

Dominica's ambassador to the FAO Francesco Corallo.

According to the international police organization, Corallo is wanted in Italy for organized and transnational crime and fraud.

Corallo’s office was raided by Italian police on November 10, 2011 in connection with an investigation of Ponzellini Massimo, president of Banca Popolare di Milano who is said to have been involved in a 148 million Euro loan to Atlantis/Bet Plus reportedly owned by Corallo.

In court papers filed by Corallo following his arrest, he revealed that he was granted a diplomatic passport by the government of Dominica and a letter of appointment as Dominica’s permanent representative to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) on June 11, 2011.

According to Corallo," with regard to my appointment as Ambassador, I note that a request for approval "a priori" had been previously made to the Italian government with a note of June 30, 2011, which was followed later with a favorable response Note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 3, 2011.“

He continued “ I had received from the Government of Dominica a regular diplomatic passport by virtue of a specific appointment as ambassador to the FAO of the said Government of Dominica on 21 June 2011. If the act of appointment is read literally I come appointed as "Ambassador Extraordinary". And I on the other hand under Article 13 of the Vienna Convention of 1961 had informed the FAO of my arrival in Italy.”

When the case came up for a hearing on July 21, 2012, Corallo was quoted in court papers as saying that "I was at the time of the raid, and still am, a diplomat of my country, as reflected by the acts of investigation. Another question, in law, is whether I could make use of Guarantees reserved for diplomats. But the question, objectively, does not arise. As is clear from the minutes of GdF (the Police) I have never opposed the raid.”

He went on to say that he chose not to invoke diplomatic immunity allowed under the Geneva conventions but permitted the police to continue with their investigation.

However, with the investigation gaining speed, Corallo disappeared from Italy prompting the authorities to seek INTERPOL’s help in securing his arrest. Recent press reports indicate that Corallo may be in St Maarten where he operates his Atlantis/Bet Plus casinos.

To date there has been no response from the Dominica government who, when the news of his initial arrest was made public by theDominican.net swiftly issued a letter in support of their ambassador.

In the November 21, 2012 statement the government noted that the appointment “was guided by standard policy as it relates to the selection of both nationals and non nationals willing to serve and represent Dominica in an honorary capacity, in honorary consulates, missions and trade and investment offices, in strategic capitals, or as nonresident ambassadors.”