Campania: Home To Italy's Craftiest Con Artists

Italy's Campania region is home to some of the country's most prized historic and natural patrimony such as the lost City of Pompeii, the stunning Amalfi Coast, the Island of Capri, the list goes on and on. Interestingly enough, it is also home to some of the worlds craftiest con artists.

It seems as though the world has Italy on the hot seat this month. Between Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's sex scandals, threats of kicking Italy out of the G8, and the story about two Japanese tourists being charged 900 Euro for lunch in a Roman restaurant when the actual bill should have been closer to 200 Euro, it sure seems true that when it rains, it pours (and sometimes in Italy, it even hails)!

To make matters worse, today in Avellino, (a suburb of Naples and city of origin of Tony Soprano, protagonist of the acclaimed HBO series "The Sopranos") A 62 year old woman was brought up on charges of aggravated fraud when police found her jogging with her dog. Since when is jogging at 62 against the law in Italy, you might ask? It is when you have been collecting a 100% invalidity pension for decades. In addition to jogging, locals say she is out every day ploughing her land and farming. Not bad for a 100% disabled woman, hey?

Just a few miles away in Caserta, according to the Sole 24 Ore newspaper today 200 individuals comprised of police officers, town mayors, and other city officials are under investigation for partaking in a widespread con which led to inflated and illegally issued traffic fines. Automatic speed detector devices were rigged to increase the amounts of fines issued, the personal information of those to whom fines were issued was compromised, and the local authorities are accused of lining their pockets with the profits.

Is it something in the water? Why is Italy known for the mafia and con artists almost above all else? Luckily Italian cuisine, fashion, and artistic patrimony help to tip the scales back into a more respectable position. All in all Italy never fails to amuse or surpise, and that my friends is part of what makes it so wonderful.

Update: The speed cameras around Caserta are now under sequester by Carabinieri, more here.

Italian Nuns Make a "Habit" out of Breaking the Law?

Given the public backlash recently surrounding nuns and whether they have been granted too much freedom to act and do as they please, this most recent headline struck me as particularly interesting.

Let me set the scene for you as I envision it (naturally, based on the reported facts).

Three nuns are sitting around the convent and being pious when news that Pope Benedict XI has fallen in the bath and was taken to the hospital. The oldest nun, presumably the "boss" at her ripe age of 78, shouts "Fire up the Ford Fiesta, we've got to go"! Sister Tavoletta, 56, obeys the order and within moments the nuns peeled out and headed towards the Papal chalet at Les Combs. Tavoletta must have really put the pedal to the metal, because when local police stopped here, the "flying" nun was clocked at 120 mph (190 km/hr)!

After being handed a 375 Euro fine and having her license suspended, she vows to contest the fines. Presumably, the Vatican will foot the bill for Italy's top attorney for auto related lawsuits.

Out of curiosity, I wonder if that police officer now fears what might await him when his time comes and he marches up to the proverbial gates...perhaps he too might be handed a few violations?

Becoming Italian

Some of you may remember our recent controversial report about the Italian fear of drafts and other illness-provoking phenomena such as the evil eye, ice cold drinks, sleeping near open windows, et cetera.

Yesterday, as two kind Italian men performed the herculean task of mounting two giant air conditioners in my apartment, I could barely contain my excitement. Finally, after ten years in this country I would spend July and August with 24,000 BTU's of arctic cool air blowing down on me and my loved ones. I found myself giggling when any time I got too close to the stream of air coming out of the machine while holding my 6 month old baby, one of the men would shout "Signora, attenzione!" (Watch out, the air will hit him)! I humored them and moved away before they pulled out their telefonini and called the department of child services on me.

A few hours later, when all was said and done and I sat down to work at my desk (conveniently located nice and close to the air conditioner), within minutes my neck began to hurt. It became stiff, sore, and sent a chill through my whole body. Panic stricken, I grabbed that handy remote control and hit the off button with a quickness while contemplating the possibility that against all odds, I was truly becoming Italian.

Follow our blog to find out how the story unfolds as temperatures soar to a scorching 34 this weekend!