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




Monday 2 August 2010

Pancho Campo MW: legal advice on leaving Dubai



'He left the country in 2003 on the legal advice of his lawyer, presuming his presence was not required.’


One can well imagine the scene:

A well-appointed office at the practice of Excellent Counsel and Good Advice, attorneys in law in downtown Dubai. Senior partner, Excellent Counsel widely known as Excel, greets Pancho Campo.

Excel: Hi Pancho. How are you doing?

Pancho: Fine Excel. Yourself?

Excel: Yeah, good. Can’t complain! You’re looking in great shape!

Pancho: Since the business went bust, I’m getting lots more time to play tennis.

Excel: Yeah – the business! I’ve been thinking Pancho – why don’t you leave Dubai, go back to Spain and make a fresh start.

Pancho: What would I do in Spain, Excel?

Excel: Well you could do something with wine. Run wine events perhaps? After all you have had plenty of experience running sporting and musical events – can’t be very different.

Pancho: Well I must say it’s an attractive idea. But what about the court case?

Excel (with a wave of his hand): Pancho don’t worry about that! We’ll fix it… it may take awhile but we can fix it. You just head off to Spain.  

Pancho: But, Excel, I had to appear before the court back in June and surrendered my Chilean passport.

Excel: It won't be a problem. You worry too much Pancho!

Pancho: But Excel, as you know, I’ve got dual nationality and I don’t want to lose my Chilean passport. I mean the court won’t give it back, will they?

Excel: Really Pancho it is not a problem. You’ve still got your Spanish passport! No seriously you can always get a new Chilean passport.

Pancho: How can I do that?

Excel: Once you and the family are settled in Spain, just contact the Chilean Embassy, tell them you have lost your passport and that you need another one.

(Cont on page 94)  

The scenario mentioned on the Indian Wine Academy site surely assumes that the lawyer, with whom Campo subsequently lost contact, was either incompetent or a rogue.



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