Carlo Gilardi

Carlo Gilardi (born in Airuno, December 4, 1930), is a retired high school teacher and poet, known as a benefactor of his neighbors and of his native small town of 2800 people, Airuno, in the province of Lecco.
Born into a wealthy family, since childhood Carlo Gilardi was aware of his privileges. He went to school in white shoes, and had to note that the children of peasants came in wooden clogs.  
Here is how Gilardi explained the reason why he gave the city money to buy a defibrillator, or land to create a park, or a parking lot for the kindergarten: “There are only two of us, left from my family, a sister and I, both now so old. We were born in this town, why not remember it with a concrete gesture to show that we do love our town?”
Gilardi gave to everyone who was in trouble. These were the comments that his neighbors made to Nina Palmieri of Le Iene, when she arrived in town with her TV crew:
"He helped so many; all Airuno he helped.”
“He never flaunted his great wealth.”
"A benefactor of the people:”
"Who was in need knew he was there, the point of reference.”
"They all came to him, and he housed them in his great house.”
“People who had divorce problems, who were getting evicted…”.
“I came here when I was fifteen, a servant girl… and Mr. Gilardi decided to give us this house.”
"He worked from morning till night with the animals, that was his first interest in life…” 
Interviewed in January 2020, Gilardi had said: "I am content with little, I just satisfy the needs of the soul, for the rest I am gratified to make myself available to others. I just wait for the good God to grant the grace to call me to himself."
THE LOSS OF HIS RIGHT TO USE HIS MONEY
The story that propelled Prof. Carlo Gilardi into the news, began when his older sister, Sandra Gilardi, already living in an old age home, asked the intervention of the judiciary regarding the habits of her little brother, who seemed too generous, to the point that she feared that he might fall into poverty.
In 2017, a judge intervened, and took control of Gilardi's estate, so that he was protected and no one could take advantage of his generosity. The judge in question is unnamed in all the reports that have so far appeared.
The date is uncertain, but it seems that it was in 2018, that court-appointed lawyer Adriana Lanfranconi accused a young Moroccan, Brahim El Mazoury, of taking advantage of Gilardi, she claimed was  mentally disabled. El Mazoury had lived for years, as a child, as guest in Gilardi's house, together with his family. 
DEPRESSION
On January 1, 2020, Gilardi posted, on the gate to his big house, next to town hall, a sad farewell letter, addressed “to my dear fellow citizens,” in which he asked for forgiveness “for any possible failures. Gilardi closed by saying: “I have become a useless being to society, a true ruin, and I only look forward to the happy day of my passing.” 
The publication of the video caused the court-appointed guardian, attorney Lanfranconi, to hire a helper for Gilardi, Brahim El Mazoury, the same one whom she had, two years earlier, accused of taking advantage of Gilardi.  It seems that El Mazoury worked well and maintained Gilardi's house well, until the day of the professor's detention. Otherwise, the attorney  would have replaced him.
During the summer of 2020, speaking to Lanfranconi, Gilardi said that because of the many difficulties created to his daily work on the farm, life had become unpleasant and he hoped to end it.
Gilardi: "I say one word, I want freedom. I found myself in a state of moral depression and I have been feeling morally depressed for three years…
Lanfranconi: I know…”
Gilardi: ”I wanted to die with the corona virus. I went near people who were infected…”
Lanfranconi: “Don't say this”
Gilardi: …and it went wrong, I didn’t croak, and I still have to live, unfortunately. Under the clutches of lawyers.“ 
DEPRESSION: PATHOLOGY OR FEAR OF GETTING LOCKED UP?
In 2020, deprived of the right to use his money for his farm and his beloved animals, he had to wait for weeks, before being able to buy essential items for the farm, such as a used old pickup to bring to the barn the hay that he and Brahim El Mazoury had cut.  But now he saw clues that he might lose even his personal freedom. 
Gilardi spoke with Lanfranconi, who confirmed that “there was someone who felt that she should go to a retirement home. There are people who would like you to be locked up in a shelter."
Addressing Brahim El Mazoury, Lanfranconi admitted that she knew well “that he is better off in his field at work than in an old age home. Putting Mr. Carlo in a very beautiful retirement home where he eats very well, can be very well taken care of, means killing him."
To defend himself against such fate, Gilardi had himself visited a psychiatrist. The report says: “No abnormalities or signs suggestive of pathologies under way.  His  thinking is devoid of alterations in form or in content…Mr. Carlo Gilardi has also preserved judgement and is in touch with reality, and shows no signs of mental or cognitive deterioration.” 
THE EVENT THAT BROUGHT GILARDI TO THE HOSPICE PSYCHIATRIC WING
Gilardi had already seen five psychiatrists who confirmed him sane; yet the lawyer wanted him to see a sixth one.
In September 2020, Gilardi hired lawyer Silvia Agazzi. Informed, the lawyer Lanfranconi spoke with Gilardi: "I had planned a whole twisted operation, in agreement with the judge, in your favor... Wanna know what I had done yesterday? That you have undone? A psychiatrist was to come here. But who is this psychiatrist? My cousin! And the psychiatric report that that was to be done yesterday would clearly have been in your favor, because he was my cousin.  But after you informed the lawyer, the whole plan is shot.” 
The lawyer Agazzi presented a statement to the Public Prosecutor's office, in which Giraldi stated that " in the Year 2018 Lanfranconi had made a transfer of 40,000 euros to someone known to her.” 
GILARDI IS FORCED TO MOVE
At that point, attorney Lanfranconi withdrew from the case; in October 2020, she was succeeded by the attorney Elena Barra, about whom Lanfranconi said,  “she is a dear friend of mine, and she is quite good.” 
Attorney Barra declared Gilardi's houses inadequate, and Gilardi notified her that he was moving into Brahim El Mazoury's house. 
On October 16, Gilardi wrote: "My financial assets are at the Banca Popolare of Sondrio in Lecco, but despite my repeated requests I cannot see the bank records. ..There's something shady that someone wants to hide from me. Has anyone made a withdrawal and now fears the consequences? I am a person who can forgive to a large extent, but they need to tell me the truth.” 
We do not know if Brahim El Mazoury worked well, cooking and keeping the house in order. However, we do know that there were no complaints about the houses of Gilardi until the day when the Gilardi did not file the complaint and became a threat for different lawyers in Lecco.
DETENTION
There was an advantage in forcing Gilardi to rent a room in El Mazoury's house, because he lived in Brivio, a town a few kilometers away. Since Gilardi was the known and loved benefactor of Airuno, arresting him there could have caused outrage, commotion, and bad publicity for lawyer and judge.
On October 27, Barra arrived with two police patrols, an ambulance, and Dr. Enrico Messina, who was not Gilardi's attending physician. Here is the dialogue, recorded by El Mazoury:
Barra: “You now have to come with us and we have to do two medical checkups.
Carlo: “What doctor is this?”
Barra: “You must make a visit to a cardiologist.”
Carlo: "I am not going to the hospice.”
Barra: “You have to do two medical checkups.”
Carlo: “You are very persuasive, with the ability of lawyers and with the strength of the laws of which you are masters and of which I am a vile ignoramus… to take me away you have to put me in handcuffs. Otherwise I'm not coming. In handcuffs, I obey the force of the law .”
Barra: “We are not leaving unless you come with us.”
Carlo: “Give me a chance to talk to the judge.”
Barra: “Certainly, but you must come with us now.”
According to El Mazoury, they took him, one to the right and one to the left and down the stairs they went. The last words we heard from the professor: "I want my freedom that you have taken away from me.“
ALLEGATIONS OF DECEPTION AND FALSIFICATION
Lawyer Barra said: "You have to see a cardiologist."  Clearly, the plan was to take Gilardi to the psychiatric wing of the Airoldi and Muzzi Institutes in Lecco. Every old person must fear such an eventuality, particularly in situations where it might be financially convenient for relatives or lawyers.
Whistleblowers at the hospice confirmed that Gilardi had first been put in the psychiatric ward. 
Lawyer Barra says: "I firmly challenge the claim that he was taken away by force... in fact Prof. Gilardi convinced himself to come with us…” 
According to attorney Barra, "currently Professor Carlo is not at all locked up in a place against his will but, on the contrary, he has shared with me a project of freedom aimed at distancing himself also and above all from all the subjects who have surrounded him and took advantage of him.” 
According to El Mazoury's testimony, lawyer Barra threatened to give him an injection in order to take him away. Only when the lawyer, speaking to a third person, ordered him to proceed with the plan, after he failed to escape, did Gilardi conclude it was best obey the invitation to go with the raiding party.
According to the testimony of anonymous Airoldi and Muzzi employees, it seems that there were illegal alterations of the medical records of Gilardi.
ARRESTED OR DISAPPEARED?
It is not known whether the signature for the detention of Giraldi was signed by the mayor of Airuno Alessandro Milani or by the mayor of Brivio, Federico Airoldi. Mayor Milani feigns great love for the town benefactor, but seemed to be very angry against all who questioned the morality and purpose of the operation against Gilardi.  
This could not have been an arrest, since in Italy if you are under arrest you have the right to a lawyer and visits, and Giraldi was not allowed visits by relatives, friends, and even his lawyer.
This was an event such that one can observe in countries where dissident professors disappear, and that's it. In fact Gilardi was disappeared, and would have remained disappeared, desaparecido, had it not been for the recordings that El Mazoury dared to bring to Le Iene show.
With the disappearance of Gilardi it was hoped to avoid catastrophic revelations of embezzlement. 
There's an obvious connection between Gilardi's complaint to the D.A. and his disappearance. If there was fear of consequences, it would appear that the authorities decided to immediately silence him.
Category:Italian poets
Category:Italian writers
Category:Italian people