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| 'Devil's Advocate lawyer' lied and conned clients out of £1m, court hears | 'Devil's Advocate lawyer' lied and conned clients out of £1m, court hears |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An Italian man who claimed to be a top lawyer – and became known as the Devil's Advocate for taking on "unwinnable" cases – conned clients out of £1m, a court has heard . | An Italian man who claimed to be a top lawyer – and became known as the Devil's Advocate for taking on "unwinnable" cases – conned clients out of £1m, a court has heard . |
| Giovanni di Stefano, 57, who moved to Britain when he was five, is accused of setting himself up as a bona fide lawyer when he had no legal qualifications and was not registered to work as a lawyer in Italy or the UK. | |
| The alleged fraudster used the Italian word "avvocato" on business cards, letterheads and identification documents to give clients – and the judiciary – the impression he was an advocate. | The alleged fraudster used the Italian word "avvocato" on business cards, letterheads and identification documents to give clients – and the judiciary – the impression he was an advocate. |
| But, in fact, he was telling "deliberate lies" and was "not a qualified lawyer at all", the prosecution said. | But, in fact, he was telling "deliberate lies" and was "not a qualified lawyer at all", the prosecution said. |
| Di Stefano is on trial at Southwark crown court in London charged with 25 counts including deception, fraud and money laundering – all of which he denies. | |
| David Aaronberg QC, prosecuting, told the jury as he opened the case: "In a sentence, he is charged with various offences of deception, fraud, money laundering and forgery, and the prosecution say he committed those offences between 2004 and 2012." | |
| Aaronberg told the panel of eight women and four men that Di Stefano developed "something of a reputation" among convicted criminals, lawyers, the media and the wider community. | |
| In the past Di Stefano has advised clients including Saddam Hussein, Ronnie Biggs and disgraced pop mogul Jonathan King. | |
| "It was this that has gained him the fame, or the notoriety, that he enjoys," he said. | "It was this that has gained him the fame, or the notoriety, that he enjoys," he said. |
| "He was a man who was willing to provide legal services to clients whose cases others considered unwinnable or too difficult to defend. | "He was a man who was willing to provide legal services to clients whose cases others considered unwinnable or too difficult to defend. |
| "He was willing to argue for unpopular causes. Somewhere along the way over the years, he acquired the soubriquet, or nickname, 'The Devil's Advocate'." | "He was willing to argue for unpopular causes. Somewhere along the way over the years, he acquired the soubriquet, or nickname, 'The Devil's Advocate'." |
| Aaronberg said Di Stefano operated under the company name Studio Legalese Internazionale – which translates as The International Law Firm – and provided "legal advice" and "legal services" to people with all kinds of cases. | |
| He showed the jury pictures of business cards and headed note paper in which Di Stefano calls himself an "avvocato" and said he was attempting to convey "a clear impression to anyone who is reading these documents that he is writing as an 'avvocato', or advocate". | |
| He said: "The prosecution's case is, that by doing this, he was giving a clear indication – which was false – that he was a qualified lawyer. | He said: "The prosecution's case is, that by doing this, he was giving a clear indication – which was false – that he was a qualified lawyer. |
| "Not only did he use the term 'avvocato' freely when he was not entitled to do so, he also told a number of individuals on many different occasions that he was a lawyer, when he was not." | "Not only did he use the term 'avvocato' freely when he was not entitled to do so, he also told a number of individuals on many different occasions that he was a lawyer, when he was not." |
| Aaronberg told the jury there were 10 victims, or sets of victims in Di Stefano's case. | |
| He said: "Between them, between June 2004 and December 2011, they lost a little under £1m – £929,828. | He said: "Between them, between June 2004 and December 2011, they lost a little under £1m – £929,828. |
| "One person lost €10,000 and another lost about six-and-half thousand US dollars. | "One person lost €10,000 and another lost about six-and-half thousand US dollars. |
| "Some of those who lost money are people who themselves had been convicted of criminal offences. | "Some of those who lost money are people who themselves had been convicted of criminal offences. |
| "But, more often, it was their family members who were prevailed upon to hand over money to Mr Di Stefano." | |
| Di Stefano denies nine counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception, eight counts of fraud, three counts of acquiring criminal property, two counts of using a false instrument, one count of attempting to obtain a money transfer by deception, one count of obtaining property by deception and one count of using criminal property. | Di Stefano denies nine counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception, eight counts of fraud, three counts of acquiring criminal property, two counts of using a false instrument, one count of attempting to obtain a money transfer by deception, one count of obtaining property by deception and one count of using criminal property. |
| Di Stefano, of North Stream, Marshside, Canterbury in Kent, was born in the small town of Petrella Tifernina in central Italy, but moved to the UK as a boy and went to school in Wollaston, Northamptonshire. | Di Stefano, of North Stream, Marshside, Canterbury in Kent, was born in the small town of Petrella Tifernina in central Italy, but moved to the UK as a boy and went to school in Wollaston, Northamptonshire. |
| Aaronberg said Di Stefano deceived his victims because "he would have known full well that he was not qualified to practise at the Italian bar, any more than he was a surgeon who was qualified to perform surgery, or a pilot who was qualified to fly a plane". | |
| The prosecutor explained to the jury that in 2002 Di Stefano managed to persuade a high court judge, Mr Justice Peter Smith, to rule that he was indeed an "avvocato" after the defendant was denied permission to visit a prospective client by the governor at Belmarsh prison. | |
| Aaronberg said: "He personally informed Mr Justice Peter Smith that he was 'an Italian advocate of the Italian bar' and 'a responsible lawyer'. | Aaronberg said: "He personally informed Mr Justice Peter Smith that he was 'an Italian advocate of the Italian bar' and 'a responsible lawyer'. |
| "In the course of the submissions Mr Di Stefano also indicated that he was subject to 'a code of conduct that has been inherent between client and attorney' as a consequence of which he was unable to divulge certain information requested by the judge. | |
| "We suggest on that occasion he was telling deliberate lies." | "We suggest on that occasion he was telling deliberate lies." |
| The barrister told the jury Di Stefano would "point to this judgment" for many years when anybody questioned his credentials. | |
| Di Stefano, who is on bail, is permitted to sit out of the dock and behind his defence barrister, Leonard Smith QC, so that he can communicate with him more easily. | Di Stefano, who is on bail, is permitted to sit out of the dock and behind his defence barrister, Leonard Smith QC, so that he can communicate with him more easily. |