Calisto Tanzi
Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons12

Calisto Tanzi

Italian fraudster (1938–2022)

Calisto Tanzi (17 November 1938 – 1 January 2022) was an Italian businessman. He founded Parmalat in 1961, after dropping out of college.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Calisto Tanzi (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Nov 17, 1938, died Jan 1, 2022.1

About

Parmalat collapsed in 2003 with a €14bn ($20bn; £13bn) hole in its accounts in what remains Europe's biggest bankruptcy. In 2008 Tanzi was found to have embezzled an estimated €800 million from the company, and was jailed for fraud. Although sentenced to up to 18 years in prison, Tanzi served just over two years in jail and then was placed under house arrest.

From Wikipedia’s article on Calisto Tanzi, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2

Companies

Career

Occupation: chief executive officer, entrepreneur.4

In 2001, according to Forbes, he was listed as a billionaire with a net worth of roughly $1.3 billion.

In December 2009, the Italian authorities announced that they had seized nineteen works of art belonging to Tanzi, which had been concealed at the houses of his friends. The works of art were said to be worth more than €100 million and included paintings and drawings by Picasso, Monet and van Gogh. Tanzi had denied owning any hidden works of art. Parma Prosecutor Gerardo Laguardia, said that officials had acted quickly to seize the pictures after discovering that they had been offered for sale. The authorities said that Stefano Strini, Tanzi's son-in-law, was being investigated for allegedly handling the artwork. On 29 October 2019, Tanzi's art collection was auctioned off in Milan. “Rediscovered Treasures: Impressionists and Modern Masterpieces from a Private Collection” included artworks by such artists as Balla, Gauguin, Cézanne, Kandinsky, Matisse, Modigliani and van Gogh.

From Wikipedia’s article on Calisto Tanzi (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Personal life

  • BornNov 17, 1938, Collecchio5
  • DiedJan 1, 2022, Parma6 7
  • CitizenshipKingdom of Italy, Italy8

Tanzi died of pneumonia in a Parma hospital on the New Year's Day of 2022, at the age of 83.

From Wikipedia’s article on Calisto Tanzi (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Awards

  • 1999Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic9
  • 1992honorary doctorate from the University of Parma9 10
  • 1984Order of Merit for Labour9