Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Wednesday 28 October 2009

WineFuture Rioja09: do they know where the money came from?

Wanted for fraud: Pancho Campo MW on the Interpol site

WineFuture Rioja09:
The conference certainly has an impressive array of both sponsors and speakers. (see below)

I’m sure that these are all prudent people and organisations, who will doubtless have demanded or will demand from Pancho Campo MW, detailed and convincing assurances that the proceeds of fraud in Dubai were not used in the founding of The Wine Academy of Spain in 2003. In these days of ever-stricter money laundering regulations no one would want to be associated with an organisation that might have been set up using the proceeds of a fraud.

Sponsors

Main sponsor:

Rioja (http://www.riojawine.com/)

Official sponsors:

Gobierno de La Rioja

Araex & Spanish Fine Wines

Marqués de Riscal

Spanish Wine Education, http://www.spainwines.es/

mercados del Vino y la Distribución

Avis

Bodegas Dinastía Vivanco

Riedel

Robert Mondavi Winery

Constellation Europe

Diario La Rioja

Peñaclara, Agua Mineral Natural

JF Hillebrand - Global Beverage, Wine and Spirits Logistics

Tierra de Viñedos

FIJEV

Domecq Bodegas

Wines From Spain

Enerterra

Bodegas Pérez Barquero

Academia Espanola de Gastronomia

AMORIM

Bodegas Regalia

Details here: http://www.winefuture.es/index.php?opt=sponsors


Speakers@WineFuture Rioja09:
Baudouin Havaux
Concours Mondiale de Bruxelles
Charlotte Hey
, editor of the Drinks Business Magazine
Christopher Cannan,
Europvin
Christian Barré,
Domecq Bodegas
Justin Howard-Sneyd MW,
Waitrose
Dmitry Pinsky,
Founder and co-owner of DP-Trade, the most important distributor and importer of wine and spirits in Russia.
Esteban Cabezas
. He is now a partner in The Wine Academy of Spain to develop the first Wine Business School in Spain.
Felicity Carter
, editor-in-Chief of German based magazine Meininger's Wine Business International.
Gary Vaynerchuk
Wine Library TV
Jancis Robinson OBE, MW

Jeremy Benson
, president of Benson Marketing Group, a wine marketing agency with offices in Napa, New York and Rioja
Jorge Ordoñez
, head of Orowines
José Peñín,
Spanish wine critic
Juan Such Juan
, one of the founders of Verema.com
Kevin Zraly
, founder of the Windows of the World Wine School, technical director of WineFuture-Rioja’09
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW
based in Singapore, part of the team of reviewers for Robert Parker
Manuel Julia, director of FENAVIN, the National Wine Fair, since 2001
Matheiu Chadronnier
general manager of the CVBG Group
Mel Dick
, Vice-president for Southern Wines & Spirits and the President of the wine división
Miguel Torres
, president of Bodegas Miguel Torres,
Nicola Jenkin,
WRAP
Oz Clarke

Pancho Campo MW
, founder of The Wine Academy of Spain
Paul Pontallier,
Château Margaux
Quim Vila
, founder and CEO of Vilaviniteca
Richard Halstead,
Wine Intelligence
Robert Joseph

Robert Parker

Robin Kelley O´Connor
, director of Sales and Education for Sherry-Lehmann
Ryan Opaz
Catavino.net
Steven Spurrier

Troy Christensen
, president of Constellation Brands Europe,
Ulf Sjodin MW
, wine consultant
Don St. Pierre, Jr.
the Chief Executive Officer of ASC Fine Wines
Tim Hanni MW, CWE,
CEO of the Napa Seasoning Company LLC
Rafael Ansón
, president of Honor of the International Academy of Gastronomy and President of the Spanish Royal Academy of Gastronomy
Victor Pascual, presidente de la Organización Interprofesional y del Consejo Regulador de la D.O.Ca. Rioja. Consejero y Director de Relaciones Institucionales de Domecq Bodegas. Presidente del Grupo de Empresas Vinícolas de Rioja.(FER/CEOE)
Xavier Pagés Font
, general manager for Grupo Codorníu

Details here: http://www.winefuture.es/index.php?opt=congreso&s=ponentes


There is, of course, no suggestion that any of the speakers or sponsors of WineFuture Rioja09 had any involvement in the fraud in Dubai. Indeed it is highly unlikely that any would have known who Pancho Campo was at that time.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not pronouncing myself any judgment on Mr Campo's guiltiness, but remembering that he has already been declared guilty and is subject to an Interpol Red Alert Warrant, I am wondering how it is possible that the speak at the event - is he not hiding at all? Are the Spanish authorities looking for him at all? Is this some king of farce?

Hervé

Jim's Loire said...

Hervé there are credible reports that Pancho Campo was interviewed in a top Madrid hotel by the Spanish authorities earlier this year. This has been denied by PC.

Spain has no extradition treaty with UAE but I agree the police do not appear to be making much effort to find him.

Fear of arrest might have been a factor in PC's decision not to attend the recent European Wine Bloggers Conference in Lisbon.

Perhaps the Spanish authorities intend to stage a coup de théâtre by arresting Pancho Campo during Robert Parker's Grand Tasting during WineFuture Rioja09.

Anonymous said...

That would be fun. The King of Spain might also exert his right of justice on Rober Parket when he comes to the Palacio, and have him swallow all the planky wines he's given 20/20 to, until he cries for mercy?

Jim's Loire said...

Anon – although that might perhaps be fair retribution I fancy Juan Carlos will give young Bob something delicious from Galicia perhaps.I'd suggest something from the Loire but I think that would be a tad unlikely!