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Recent Posts
- Como’s Famous Women: The wartime exploits of Ginevra Bedetti Masciadri March 14, 2023
- Lake Como’s Wild Pack of Wolves February 14, 2023
- Love, War and Death on Lake Como – The Tragic End of Gina Ruberti January 26, 2023
- Overnight on the Via dei Monti Lariani December 1, 2022
- The Queen of England’s Como Court October 6, 2022
Category Archives: crime
True Crime in Como – the Molteni Murder
The ‘Delitto Molteni’ is a local true crime story which contains some elements of tragedy within it. A respected architect is accidentally murdered in a plot hatched by his ex-wife and her lover. He dies and they end up with long terms in prison with a further 10 people convicted for their involvement. Continue reading
Posted in crime, Uncategorized
Tagged Alberto Brivio, Cantu, Como, Court of Assizes, Daniela Rho, Molteni, murder, true crime
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Como’s Changing Lakefront
Como is justifiably famous for the beauty of its natural surroundings and of its ancient walled city, for the inventiveness and quality of its silk production and for the creativity and skills of its artists and artisans throughout the centuries. The list of positives does not end there but it also ranks as the city with the longest, worst managed and corrupted civil engineering project throughout Northern Italy – but an end to the flood defence project is finally in sight. Continue reading
Posted in crime, Lake, People, Politics
Tagged Amici di Como, ANAC, Como, flood defences, floods, Lake Como, lakefront, Mario Lucini, paratie, Pietro Gilardoni, Roberto Maroni, SACAIM
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The Romantic Era of Smuggling: A Game of Cat and Mouse on Lake Como
The Romantic Era of Smuggling: A Game of Cat and Mouse on Lake Como. Smuggling was common along the entire length of Italy’s northern border but particularly prevalent around the lakes so much as to become a key element in local folklore. Continue reading
Posted in crime, Culture, Folklore, History, Itineraries, Lake, People, Uncategorized, Walks
Tagged Burlanda, Cigarettes, Cinto, coffee, Colonno, contraband, contrabbandieri, Davide Van De Sfroos, Domenica del Corriere, Erbonne, finanzieri, guardia di finanza, Il Cimino, Lanzo, Lezzeno, Ment, smugglers, Smuggling, spalloni, Switzerland, val d'intelvi
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Hollywood, Gucci and Lake Como
Hollywood, Gucci and Lake Como. On 17th March Hollywood will descend on Lake Como for a day of filming at the Villa Balbiano. The film is about the Gucci family and the murder of Maurizio Gucci ordered by his estranged wife, Patrizia Reggiani. Continue reading
Posted in crime, Culture, Events, Lake, People
Tagged Adriano Celentano, Al pacino, Canepa, celebrity, film, Fiorio, Flora, Grand Hotel Cadenabbia, Gucci, Hollywood, Lady Gaga, Maurizio Gucci, Patrizia Reggiani, Villa Balbianello, Villa Balbiano, villa d'este
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Cleaning Up Como’s Tax Office
Cleaning Up Como’s Tax Office. The Director of the Province of Como’s tax office (the Agenzia delle Entrate) has been convicted of taking bribes in exchange for heavily discounting local businessmen’s tax bills at a cost of €2 million in lost revenue. Continue reading
Posted in crime, People, Uncategorized
Tagged accountants, bribes, corruption, Entrate, guardia di finanza, Pennestri, tangenti, tax, Ufficio Entrate
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Escape to Switzerland via Monte Bisbino
Escape to Switzerland via Monte Bisbino – the story of Anna Sacerdoti and her family and how they avoided deportation – to honour this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day. Continue reading
Posted in crime, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized
Tagged Anna Sacerdoti, Bisbino, cernobbio, Chiasso, Christian Schiefer, holocaust, Leggi Razziali, Platform 21, Shoah, smugglers
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Shadow of the Mafia over Como
Shadow of the Mafia over Como following the arrest of 34 operating a scam involving the deliberate bankruptcy of 40 cooperatives and the closure of Pane e Tulipani in Como’s old town. Continue reading
Posted in crime, People, Politics, Uncategorized
Tagged Avenue Hotel, Bruno De Benedetto, cooperatives, Lido, lomazzo, mafia, ndrangheta, organised crime, Pane e Tulipani, usury, Viale Geno, Villa Olmo
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R.I.P. Noir in Festival at Como
Covid has wounded ‘Noir in Festival’ this year but at least there are the online interviews and we hope the festival will be back in Como next year. Continue reading
Como’s Train Station, Witches and the Inquisition
Como’s Train Station, Witches and the Inquisition. Few travellers arriving at Como’s San Giovanni Station know they are on top of the remains of a monastery where innocent victims faced torture and being burnt at the stake. Continue reading
Posted in Art, crime, Culture, Folklore, History, Uncategorized
Tagged Art, churches, Folklore, Giubiana, Grissons, Inquisition, Odescalchi, religion, San Giovanni, Valtellina, witchcraft, witches
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Como’s Star-Crossed Lovers: 2 – ‘Gianna’ and ‘Neri’
Como’s Star-Crossed Lovers: 2 – ‘Gianna’ and ‘Neri’ On 6th January 1945 two lovers were arrested by fascists. 3 months later, they were murdered by their own colleagues on the orders of Communist leaders in Milan. An awful tragedy. Continue reading
The Como Companion 