Italian Man Of Mystery Is A Fugitive

Last night, we told you about, Italian Antonio Velardo who docked up in San Pedro aboard a catamaran with twenty two thousand US dollars in un-declared US currency. He was charged and paid a five thousand dollar fine - and we thought that was the end of it, but tonight he's still detained in San Pedro, on the strength of an Interpol warrant. After he paid his court fine, the Immigration Department gave him what's known as an "RLL" - refused leave to land - which they can give to any undesirable person at any point of entry. That's because authorities have information that he is an international fugitive. So he was detained again, and is being questioned at this hour. His attorney Godfrey Smith told us there's not much that can be done for Velardo at this time, but he has asked Authorities to produce documentation to support the claim that he is wanted by Interpol. As we understand, the Financial Intelligence Unit is leading the investigation which suggests that Velardo may be wanted in connection with some financial inquiry.

As we told you last night, an internet write-up lists him as profitable player in international real estate along with his partner Harry Fitzsimmons in their company, VFI. He boasted in an interview four years ago that that they developed a turnover of 100 million Euros in less than eight months.

Internet information says Fitzsimmons is wanted in Ireland for a money launder scheme called the Calabrian Scam. A report in the Daily Telegraph says that "Fitzsimons was a "middle-man" for the IRA responsible for laundering its money through a holiday home investment scheme on the Calabrian coast."

Channel 7

Italian realtor wanted by Interpol

Antonio Velardo

Tonight, Antonio Velardo, a wealthy Italian visitor is being questioned by San Pedro Police. Velardo was fined on Thursday for not declaring twenty point five thousand U.S. dollars found in his yacht, the Aventura. But Velardo was freed only briefly because he is back in police custody and is being questioned for another matter. The report is that he may be an international fugitive wanted by Interpol. Also on the Aventura was forty-seven year old Levente Arangos, a Swedish national. The men had arrived on Tuesday night and docked at a local docking facility on Ambergris Caye where a search of the vessel led to the discovery of the substantive amount of cash.

Channel 5