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




Showing posts with label Pancho Campo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pancho Campo. Show all posts

Monday, 18 June 2018

Pancho Campo and Interpol






On the 20th February 2018 I received the following email from Pancho Campo:


'I hope this email finds you well.

I am writing to tell you some great news. As you might know, for more than 15 years I have been fighting to prove my innocence that was besmirched by the Interpol notice filed against me in 2005. Today I am pleased to announce that the Commission for the Control of Interpol Files has issued a report stating that the Red Notice requested by the United Arab Emirates against me was unjustified, reasoning it had been processed irregularly with its accusation against me stemming from a private commercial matter and, therefore, should never have been issued. Additionally this report exonerates me of many accusations while finding the U.A.E. had violated numerous Interpol articles as well as International Law and Human Rights in the pursuance of its case. For this reason, on 5 January 2018 Interpol has expunged my name from its database and has canceled the Red Notice it had issued in 2005.

The effects upon my businesses incurred during this saga, especially those in the wine industry, have been devastating including shutting The Wine Academy, being hampered in expanding events such as Climate Change & Wine and Winefuture, while incurring financial losses and numerous related expenses. However, the damage to my reputation has aggrieved me most, specially because this issue was extrapolated later on regarding the Parker issue.

If you want to know my entire story or particular details of this case we can make the report available to you. In the meantime, you can find details on https://www.panchocampo. com/en/red-notice/

My advisers and I are considering all legal actions to restore my name and reputation, and actions have been requested already from the European Court of Human Rights.

Back in the day you published some very serious and defamatory accusations against me and my family*. Interpol has now demonstrated that I was never accused nor sentenced of embezzlement or absconding, neither of fraud. I want to believe that you were misled by wrong information and sources that could have confused even some of the entities involved in this ordeal. 

I want to clear my name as much as possible and move on in the most amicable and civil way, Jim. You have a reputation of being a just and balanced writer, this is why I am being as candid and transparent as possible. It is never too late to do the right thing.' 
•••
Pancho Campo's claims
I replied that I was prepared to make amendments/edit to the various posts on Jim's Loire where relevant. However, before I did so I needed to see the report from the Commission for the Control of Interpol Files that Campo cited in his message above.

Campo explained that he has been advised by the head of Interpol Spain as well as his lawyers that this report should not be published and that only by meeting with Campo is it possible to read this report, which apparently is in English. No copies can be made.

I have asked Campo what the official publication status of this report is. To date he has not said what the report's official status is rather repeating the advice he has been given that it is secret.


Given the conditions set to view this report, I have decided to publish Pancho Campo's claims without verifying them. 


* My posts related to Campo's businesses and only included his family if they were relevant to his business interests.
••• 


Pancho Campo's lawyers DERECHO AL OLVIDO
Recently I received  the following document (see below) from Campo's lawyers. It asks me to remove three posts from Jim's Loire. Although I am certainly prepared to amend/edit any inaccuracies, I am not prepared to delete these posts.

Post 1: Pancho Campo resigns his MW
This is a matter of historical record and a Google search shows that news of Pancho Campo's resignation remains widely available on the internet. I can see no reason to delete this post.

Post 2:
Pancho Campo MW: Spain finds its powerful voice - English translation
This is a translation of an article that was published by El Mundo. The original article can still be found on El Mundo. I have, however, reviewed the comments on this post and deleted nine of them leaving links to Jay Miller's response. I can see no reason to delete this post. 

Post 3: Pancho Campo MW: Wine Business International - 8 page article
This is a link to an article on Wine Business International. As above I have deleted comments. I can see no reason to delete this post. 

http://jimsloire.blogspot.com.es/2012/05/pancho-campo-resigns-his- mw.html
http://jimsloire.blogspot.com.es/2011/12/pancho-campo-mw-spain-finds- its_13.html
http://jimsloire.blogspot.com.es/2011/12/pancho-campo-mw-wine- business.html 


'DERECHO AL OLVIDO
DATOS DEL RESPONSABLE DEL TRATAMIENTO
http://jimsloire.blogspot.com.es budmac@btinternet.com

DATOS DEL AFECTADO O REPRESENTANTE LEGAL
D. Iván González Moreno, mayor de edad, con domicilio profesional a efectos de notificaciones en la Calle Jazmines, Edificio Los Arcos, Local 8, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella, Málaga, C.P.29.660, en nombre y representación de Francisco Armando Campo Carrasco, cuyo N.I.F. es 47.867.414-K, y con el mismo domicilio designado con anterioridad a efectos de notificaciones. Acompañamos copia de los documentos identificativos de ambos y de la autorización para la representación. 

Por medio del presente escrito ejerce el derecho de supresión o derecho al olvido, de conformidad con lo previsto en el artículo 17 del Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 27 de abril de 2016, relativo a la protección de las personas físicas en lo que respecta al tratamiento de datos personales y a la libre circulación de estos datos.

SOLICITA
1. Queseprocedaaacordarlasupresióndelosdatospersonalessobrelos cuales se ejercita el derecho, y que constan en los siguientes enlaces: 

http://jimsloire.blogspot.com.es/2012/05/pancho-campo-resigns-his- mw.html
http://jimsloire.blogspot.com.es/2011/12/pancho-campo-mw-spain-finds- its_13.html
http://jimsloire.blogspot.com.es/2011/12/pancho-campo-mw-wine- business.html

Estas informaciones, que se refieren a mi representado por su nombre y apellidos, y que son de fecha 2012, pudieron estar amparadas en la libertad de información en su día, transcurridos los años carecen de total justificación que sigan siendo indexadas por Google y que por parte del periódico se mantengan.

Con el Reglamento General de Protección de Datos, en su artículo 17, viene a regular lo recogido en la primera sentencia del TSJU donde se mencionaba por primera vez al derecho al olvido, TSJU de 13 de mayo de 2014.

El derecho a recibir libremente información veraz por cualquier medio de difusión prevalece frente a los derechos constitucionales, atendiendo a la jurisprudencia del Tribunal Constitucional que reconoce esta posición preferente a la libertad de expresión y cuando los hechos comunicados se consideren de relevancia pública y la información facilitada sea veraz.

Por lo que debería ponderarse escrupulosamente la relevancia pública de la identidad de las personas afectadas por el hecho noticiable para, en el caso de que no aporte información adicional, evitar la identificación mediante la
supresión del nombre e incluso si fuera necesario, de las iniciales a cualquier referencia suplementaria de la que pueda deducirse la identificación, en el caso de que el entorno sea limitado.

Los medios de comunicación, por lo tanto, deberán reflexionar sobre la
trascendencia que tiene mantener de manera permanente una absoluta accesibilidad de los datos contenidos en noticias cuya relevancia informativa, probablemente, es inexistente en la actualidad, COMO EN EL CASO QUE NOS OCUPA, teniendo en cuenta la trascendencia sobre la privacidad de las personas que puede derivar de ello.

En este sentido, los medios de comunicación deberían usar medidas informáticas para que, en el caso de que concurra interés legítimo de un particular y la relevancia del hecho haya dejado de existir, se evite desde su WEBMASTER LA INDEXACIÓN DE LA NOTICIA POR LOS MOTORES DE BÚSQUEDA EN INTERNET. De esta forma, aun manteniéndola inalterable en su soporte ya que no se borraría de sus archivos ni de sus históricos, se evitaría su divulgación indiscriminada, permanente, y en su caso lesiva.

Podemos acreditar, que la información que se facilitan en los enlaces es inexacta y desactualizada:

Como bien saben, en enero de 2018, Interpol ha eliminado a Francisco (Pancho) Campo Carrasco de su base de datos y ha cancelado la notificación Roja emitida en 2005 a solicitud de EAU por una denuncia presentada en Dubái por una ex socia del Sr. Campo en el año 1999.

El origen de la disputa con su ex socia fue un asunto privado de naturaleza comercial, que nunca debería haber sido tratado como un caso criminal ni debería haber provocado la emisión de la Notificación Roja.

La anulación ahora notificada por Interpol es consecuencia de una solicitud presentada por los abogados del Sr. Campo en 2013 para demostrar diversas irregularidades cometidas en el proceso iniciado en su contra, así como el incumplimiento de las regulaciones de Interpol y de las leyes internacionales por parte de Emiratos Árabes Unidos. 

Como ahora se ha demostrado, esta Notificación Roja se emitió para su enjuiciamiento bajo el cargo de "conversión fraudulenta" de manera irregular.
El pasado 5 de enero de 2018 la Oficina de Asuntos Legales de la Secretaría General de Interpol emitió una carta confirmando que el caso de Pancho había sido estudiado por la Comisión para el Control de los Ficheros de Interpol (CCF) en su sesión 102 celebrada del 24 al 27 de octubre. El CCF decidió eliminar el nombre de Francisco Campo Carrasco de su base de datos y cancelar la Notificación Roja. Dicha carta fue acompañada por un informe detallado emitido por la Comisión para el Control de Ficheros de Interpol. 

En este informe se demuestra la total inocencia de Pancho Campo de todos los cargos y acusaciones emitidas contra él, especialmente de la apropiación indebida y la conversión fraudulenta. También confirma la falta de procedimiento por parte de los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, la inexactitud de los datos, la falta de naturaleza criminal del caso y que Pancho fue sentenciado "In Absentia".'
 
 
 

Monday, 17 February 2014

decanter.com: 'China's supreme court suspends Castel trademark fine'

wine future Hong Kong: Daniel Li of Caves Maître (4th from left) 
with Pancho Campo – far right


Potentially good news for Castel and other companies trading in China:
China's supreme court has suspended a CNY34m (US$5.6m) fine levied on French wine group Castel over a trademark dispute with a local producer in the country.
Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584807/china-s-supreme-court-suspends-castel-trademark-fine#JqJhwXmRu3vVqOjP.99
China's supreme court has suspended a CNY34m (US$5.6m) fine levied on French wine group Castel over a trademark dispute with a local producer in the country.
Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584807/china-s-supreme-court-suspends-castel-trademark-fine#JqJhwXmRu3vVqOjP.99


'China's supreme court has suspended a CNY34m (US$5.6m) fine levied on French wine group Castel over a trademark dispute with a local producer in the country.
Read rest here.  

Caves Maître, which was a major sponsor of Pancho Campo's wine future conference held in Hong Kong in November 2011, registered the Castel trademark in China and has previously won the court battles arising. See here. Also some background on Jim's Loire here and here.

Entrance to wine future with Caves Maître logo prominent



China's supreme court has suspended a CNY34m (US$5.6m) fine levied on French wine group Castel over a trademark dispute with a local producer in the country.
Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584807/china-s-supreme-court-suspends-castel-trademark-fine#JqJhwXmRu3vVqOjP.99
China's supreme court has suspended a CNY34m (US$5.6m) fine levied on French wine group Castel over a trademark dispute with a local producer in the country.
Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584807/china-s-supreme-court-suspends-castel-trademark-fine#JqJhwXmRu3vVqOjP.99

Tuesday, 29 October 2013

Castel takes trademark battle with Pancho Campo's friend to China's Supreme Court




Daniel Li (Caves Maître), Robert Parker and Pancho Campo 

 Daniel Li – "just sign here please, Mr Parker..."

Decanter.com reports that: 
'French wine merchant Castel is pursuing its trademark dispute in China at the country's Supreme Court and has said it will 'take any measures' to win.' 

The trademark battle is with Panati Wine run by Daniel Li, under the name Caves Maître it was a major sponsor of Wine Future Hong Kong. Li sat next to Robert Parker on the stage during the Magic 20 tasting.

Presumably the eventual outcome of the case could have important implications for foreign companies trading in China. 




Castel has had its application for a Supreme Court hearing accepted, a spokesperson for the group told decanter.com.

Its move marks a fresh escalation in the French firm’s long-running battle with Shanghai-based distributor Panati Wine over the Ka-Si-Te trademark name in China.

Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584490/castel-takes-trademark-battle-to-china-s-supreme-court#7mGLZFJ2XXEMBrKK.99
Castel has had its application for a Supreme Court hearing accepted, a spokesperson for the group told decanter.com.

Its move marks a fresh escalation in the French firm’s long-running battle with Shanghai-based distributor Panati Wine over the Ka-Si-Te trademark name in China.

Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584490/castel-takes-trademark-battle-to-china-s-supreme-court#7mGLZFJ2XXEMBrKK.99

Castel takes trademark battle to China's Supreme Court

  • Monday 28 October 2013
French wine merchant Castel is pursuing its trademark dispute in China at the country's Supreme Court and has said it will 'take any measures' to win.
Castel Vats
Wine straight from the vat at Groupe-Castel

Castel
has had its application for a Supreme Court hearing accepted, a spokesperson for the group told decanter.com.

Its move marks a fresh escalation in the French firm’s long-running battle with Shanghai-based distributor Panati Wine over the Ka-Si-Te trademark name in China.

Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584490/castel-takes-trademark-battle-to-china-s-supreme-court#7mGLZFJ2XXEMBrKK.99

Thursday, 27 December 2012

Jim's Loire's awards for 2012


My tasting of the year: three centuries of Bourgueil

We have decided to join the annual end of year doling out of awards:
 

Investigative story of the year
The part played by Don Cornwell on the Wine Berserkers thread in the exposure and arrest of Rudy Kurniawan in particular the Burgundies due to be auctioned by Spectrum Wine Auctions and Vanquish Wine Ltd of London on 8th February 2012 until the lots were pulled just before the auction.

The full repercussions of RK's arrest and charges of counterfeiting are yet to be known. If he is found guilty, will he sing and implicate any associates? Or was he just a lone operator? 

What full effect will a guilty verdict have on the fine wine market remains to be seen.

Runner-ups
Le VifL'Expess and FT: valuation of Nobles Crus wine fund

At the end of September questions were raised by Le Vif L'Express and the Financial Times over the valuation of the Nobles Crus wine investment fund run by Elite Advisers. Despite a number of attempts to rubbish Liv-Ex data, which is used to value at least ten other wine investment funds, questions over the validity of the valuations remain.


Vincent Pousson
For naming the leading investor in the Wine Advocate Robert Parker's apparent sale of his magazine and media interests and his move to semi-retirement. Remaining true to tradition Parker's announcement was released by Hamfisted PR Advisers.

Event of the year
EWBC
- Digital Wine Communicators of the Year Conference in Izmir

My wine of the year plus tasting of the year

1893 Bourgueil from Lamé Delisle Bouchard and the extraordinary tasting very generously given to Les 5 du Vin in the magic cellars of Lamé Delisle Bouchard.  

Very close second:

Tasting of museum stock of Domaine Huet (Vouvray) back to 1924 with Noël Pinguet in London to mark the purchase by Berry Bros & Rudd of all the stock of old Huet vintages from 1975 to 1919 and 1989.  


France 2 labels 1855 as an 'arnaque' 

Investor of the year:
Jean-Pierre Meyers
who finally decided that the reputation of Internet wine company 1855 was too toxic and withdrew his money.

‘Arnaque’ share of the year:

1855
  – over the past few months its value has oscillated between 0.02€ and 0.03€. Will it fall further in 2013? Does 0.01€ beckon?

Not even a bat's squeak award 
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux for having remained dumb and mute despite 1855 continuing to trash its members’ reputation and that of en primeur in general. Will Olivier Bernard, the newly elected president, follow the lead recently set by Philippe Castéja and the Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855?

Solicitor’s letter of the year:
Mischon de Reya sent on behalf of Elite Advisers, custodians of the Nobles Crus Wine Fund (December 17th 2012) – who ‘have general concerns as to the nature and tone of your articles’.

Best cycling commentary
French commentary on Mark Cavendish's brilliant sprint win in Brive.

Looking to the future
Good luck to Natalie MacLean’s new website – The Purloined Review (EAP – att) – to be launched early in the New Year.


Hilarious harassment claim of the year: 
Pancho Campo's claim that I had harassed his family, which was made in an ‘interview' published in The Drinks Business (26th September 2012) http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2012/09/pancho-speaks-out-on-campogate-and-his-plans-for-the-future/


Do you feel you were unfairly victimised in the so-called Campogate affair?

‘What do you think? This started back in 2009, when blogger [Jim] Budd called me regarding the Interpol issue. At first I did not think anything of it, but then he began to demand answers to his questions, or else he would assume that the accusations against me were true. Quite frankly, I did not feel obliged to answer to him. I guess he never forgave me for ignoring him, so then his obsession got out of hand, to the point he has harassed some of my collaborators, my closest relatives and some of their business associates who have nothing to do with wine, quite disturbing because he has done this non stop for more than 3 years.’ 



This is Pancho Campo (sin MW) at his inventive best. If there was indeed harassment of Campo’s closest relatives I unreservedly condemn this. 

Naturally The Drinks Business didn't bother to contact me before publishing this tripe. I have had very little contact with any of Campo’s relatives or business associates. In early September 2009 I spoke very briefly on the phone once to Melissa Butler, Campo’s wife, when trying to contact Campo for a comment on the Interpol red notice story that Adam Lechmere and I would run on decanter.com (4th September 2012). 


I also emailed James Butler, Campo's father-in-law, in November 2009 regarding the short lived CIE Marbella ­– Centre for International Education of Marbella. Butler was president, which claimed to have affiliations with universities in the United States as well as Middlesex University. CIE did have indeed have affiliations with American Universities arranged by Butler as stated but not with Middlesex, although the University had held some inconclusive discussions with Campo.

Publicity material for the CIE Marbella


Wine courses offered by The Wine Academy including Christie's Wine Course


Campo was also preparing to claim that his Wine Academy could offer Christie’s Wine Courses. Totally untrue as he had been very firmly told by Irmgard Pickering, managing director of Christie’s Education, that Christie's Education do not outsource their courses and he wasn't going to be an exception.

A call from Pancho Campo to Interpol cleared his name!! 

There were other gems in the 'interview':

Managing to overturn the Interpol Red Notice:
PC: ‘Once we found out about the situation only in 2009, I contacted headquarters in Lyon, sent the papers they requested and my name was removed immediately. It was so clear that I didn't need a lawyer.’ 

These are brazen lies from Pancho Campo (sin MW). He must have been aware he could safely say whatever came into his head completely secure in the knowledge that his faithful scribe, editor of The Drinks Business, would not be doing any fact checking. 

Campo certainly knew by sometime in March 2009 that he was wanted by Interpol as he was stopped and questioned for a number of hours when he passed through Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. After this Campo couldn't travel to the USA for fear of being arrested, so had to send others to run his Spanish wine educational programme. In late September/early October 2009 Campo nominally stepped down from running Wine FutureRioja (http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/484201/pancho-campo-resigns-to-focus-on-clearing-name). His name was not finally removed from the Interpol wanted list until the second half of July 2010.

Rather than a simple phone call it is more likely that getting his name off the Interpol list cost Campo a considerable sum in lawyers’ fees.  

In The Drinks Business ‘interview’ Campo also claimed that Harold Heckle and I somehow manipulated the emails. Why Pancho imagines that we would need to alter the highly incriminating email he sent from Tuscany is beyond me.

Previous contenders for this harassment award have included the feisty entrepreneur Stephen Cleeve who claimed through his media lawyers that I was harassing him and breaching his privacy.   
(http://investdrinks-blog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/harassment-privacy-press-freedom-and.html)

Memories of the Olympics
In this Olympic year it is good to be able look back 20 years to the Barcelona Olympics and to enjoy footage of one of Chile’s great and authentic sporting heroes. Unfortunately it would appear that this video helped to persuade Miguel Torres that he should have nothing to do with the much-vaunted Future Economy Barcelona 2012, disappointingly had to be cancelled ignominiously a few days before it was due to take place. 


 .

Monday, 10 December 2012

Robert Parker sells all or part of The Wine Advocate

 Robert Parker: "Daniel Li (CavesMaître aka Chinese Castel), I presume."
Parker in Hong Kong November 2011 

"Sign here please Mr Parker."

 
The Reuters blog here is reporting that Robert Parker has sold The Wine Advocate to an unnamed group of investors in Singapore. Reuters sourced the story from The Wall Street Journal. Lisa Perrotti-Brown will apparently take over 'editorial oversight'.   

In tweets Parker has clarified that suggestions that the print edition of The Wine Advocate will cease are incorrect nor will it take advertising. There will be an emphasis on online and pdf editions.

Robert Parker and Pancho Campo (before he mislaid is MW)
November 2011


Vincent Pousson's thoughts on the news of the sale and here.

Dr Vino on the changes.

Wednesday, 24 October 2012

Saturday, 13 October 2012

Future Economy Barcelona 2012: 0 The Real Economy: 6

'Sold out' but apparently cancelled!

Still a 50% offer available

Only event@Palau de Congressos de Catalunya is 3rd Edition Spa & Beauty Spain October 20-21st 2012


'Only just learnt that the Future Economy event's been cancelled'


I fear those who were looking forward to hearing Al Gore and Juan Verde, the International Co-Chair for the re-election campaign of President Barack Obama, at Pancho Campo's and Charade (aka Chrand) Management's hubristic Future Economy Barcelona 2012 will be disappointed. The conference has been cancelled even though the website claims that the event is sold out.

Juan Verde and Pancho Campo: Is Obama really serious about winning a second term? 

Could it be that Al Gore and Juan Verde have decided that Pancho Campo's history is just too spicy and savoury for prudent politicians? A conviction with prison sentence that still stands in Dubai allied with Campo's relationship to the truth that is as distant as Shetland is to London. 

Although it would be eminently understandable if Gore and Verde decided to put distance between themselves and Campo, this is not the case as they will be speaking at Thinking Green in Gibraltar on Sunday 21st October. Chrand Management are involved in organising Thinking Green. 

Instead the Future Economy Barcelona 2012 event was probably cancelled due to poor ticket sales, despite claims that it was 'sold out'. 


Pancho Campo@the press conference in Gibraltar (19th July 2012)
  
'Present at the press conference (19th July 2012) was Francisco Campo Director of Chrand; the company working with the Government organising the seminar, who was accompanied by Chrand’s Executive Director Paulina Campo and Business Manager Rony Bacqué.'  Read the rest of the report here  

It now appears that Thinking Green is generating controversy:

'Public should be told Al Gore costs, says GSD
GSD spokesman for the Environment, Selwyn Figueras, has called on the Government to publish immediately and with priority the anticipated costs and details of funding for the Thinking Green conference, which is being held next weekend.'  

Read the rest here. 


Also on GBC News: Figueras calls for Thinking Green conference cost details
See here. 

Al Gore is reported to be earning $100,000 for his 45 minute speech and apparently is less than keen to debate with Lord Monckton, a sharp critic of Gore. The Gibraltar Chronicle reports that 'Monckton has been damning of the Thinking Green seminar, which he has described as a “propaganda rally” and dismissed Mr Gore as “a global warming profiteer.” Details here.


Not, I trust, yet another fine mess involving Pancho Campo...  


 *

I look forward to reading the inside story in 'EUROPE’S leading drinks trade publication' composed by its 'editor' detailing how the Future Economy event had to be cancelled because Jim Budd 'harassed Campo's nearest and dearest' along with his business associates. A 'publication' that appears to be happy to regurgitate any farrago of lies from Pancho Campo without making the slightest effort at verification.