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Published on: 09/27/2020 13:12
A partnership agreement to affix the ‘Caritas Roma’ brand on the ‘Birra Pollicina’, a craft beer produced from stale bread and marketed by the company managed by Mario Becciu, the brother of the now ex cardinal Angelo Becciu, in exchange for the “donation” to the Foundation of 5% of the sales turnover. This is one of the cases contested by the Pope to the former number two of the Vatican Secretariat of State and which led to his renunciation of the rights of the cardinalate.
Among the hypotheses of both Vatican and ‘Italian’ investigators whose attention the document has ended is that, however still to be verified, that the operation may have been favored by Msgr. Angelo Becciu and that, also in consideration of the sector regulations envisaged in Italy, may have generated indirect gains at Angel’s, which was precisely contested by Francesco to his former trusted man in the shock hearing of 24 September. But also other points of the agreement signed on November 18, 2019 by Msgr. Giampiero Palmieri, as legal representative pro tempore of the Caritas Roma Onlus Foundation, and by Mario Becciu, as sole director and 95% shareholder of the company, were brought to the attention of the pontiff.
The protocol, which Adnkronos was able to view, provides, as mentioned, for the concession of the brand in exchange for the “donation” of 5% of the sales turnover by Mario Becciu’s company. However, the concept of ‘donation’, understood as a liberal payment which, as such, would allow the company tax deductions and deductions, is in contrast, according to the pontiff’s dispute, with Article 7 of the agreement which provides, among the causes of termination of the contract “the non-payment by Angel’s Srl of the contributions provided for in art. 4”.
In particular, article 4 of the agreement, among other things, states: “Angel’s Srl undertakes to donate to the Onlus ‘Caritas Roma’ Foundation an amount not less than 5% of the sales turnover, verifiable on a quarterly basis through the accounting system. of Angel’s Srl “. And again: “The payment of the aforementioned amounts will take place quarterly by the 10th day of the month following the reference quarter by bank transfer made out to the Foundation and will be accompanied by a detailed report consisting of printouts extracted from the Angel’s Srl accounting system from which it will be possible verify the correct determination of the amount “.
Under the lens there is also the hypothesis – still to be demonstrated – that Caritas Rome, receiving sums from Angel’s, may have carried out anti-legal conducts in tax matters.
As for the general terms of the agreement, the introduction explains that it is the intention of the “Caritas Roma” Onlus Foundation “to grant companies operating in the food sector and not the use of its name in order to raise funds for the financing of charity initiatives. and solidarity promoted by it “, while Angel’s Srl,” with the production from stale bread of its first craft beer, called ‘Pollicina’, intends to create a partnership with the Caritas Rome Foundation which provides for the donation of part of the profits obtained from the sale of this beer in the established manner “.
Angel’s Srl defines itself as a “new company that deals with the production and marketing of craft beers” and that “intends to pursue the following corporate values: to create a quality product” made in Italy “in the agri-food sector; to be inspired by the green economy through creation of the entire beer supply chain (production of barley, hops, beer) and through products of circular economy (beer from stale bread left over from large-scale distribution) and energy saving; set up a product that provides for the donation of part of the unii achieved by the sale; activate social inclusion paths for disadvantaged people, such as young people on the autistic spectrum, both through professional courses related to agricultural, craft and commercial professions in the beer world and through protected employment paths in the various activities of Angel’s srl; favor projects of positive socialization among young people and drinking education co nknowing “.
With the agreement, Becciu’s company undertakes to insert, in every single product unit, the words: “By purchasing this solidarity beer, you clone to Caritas Rome”.
Asked by reporters on the story of the ‘Thumbelina’ beer in the press conference convened on Friday to explain his reasons, Becciu denied any interest in favor of his brother’s company: “But what do I have to do with it? Yes, sure, he did it to me? taste it, I told him it was good, but I did not propaganda for his beer: this is an offensive joke “.
“It is he who has contacts with Caritas – he added, as reported by Famiglia Cristiana -, it was he himself who talked about it, but I have no contact with Caritas in Rome. Just because he is the brother of a cardinal Can he do it? I didn’t give him any money, neither mine nor the institution “, he assured.
Same position expressed by his brother Mario, who yesterday said at the Adnkronos: “It is something not true, all falsehoods. We just needed the cardinal to sell the beer and then we’re fine …”.
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