Chris Walker

They couldn't give that up just because some dopey agent, who clearly didn't know the full scope of their operation, was asking a few questions. So the men came up with a plan. It'd go like this. Step 1. Michael would send a letter to Nick asking for maps of the vineyards. Step 2. Nick would draw fake maps showing Zinfandel growing on the made-up farms. Step 3.

They couldn't give that up just because some dopey agent, who clearly didn't know the full scope of their operation, was asking a few questions. So the men came up with a plan. It'd go like this. Step 1. Michael would send a letter to Nick asking for maps of the vineyards. Step 2. Nick would draw fake maps showing Zinfandel growing on the made-up farms. Step 3.

Alfieri would create a convincing paper trail between the Bavaros, Michael, and a fictitious Robert Klein in San Francisco, the K in VNK. And step four, they'd forward all of this to Delicato so the winery could turn it over to the state agent. Nice and simple. When the meeting adjourned, Michael left feeling nervous but optimistic.

Alfieri would create a convincing paper trail between the Bavaros, Michael, and a fictitious Robert Klein in San Francisco, the K in VNK. And step four, they'd forward all of this to Delicato so the winery could turn it over to the state agent. Nice and simple. When the meeting adjourned, Michael left feeling nervous but optimistic.

He sent off the first letter to Nick, initiating the deceptive paper trail. That should fool them, he hoped. It didn't. By the time everything circled back to the state regulator Gene Arthur and his federal counterparts, they could barely contain their smiles. Arthur passed away long ago, so I couldn't interview him to get his recollections.

He sent off the first letter to Nick, initiating the deceptive paper trail. That should fool them, he hoped. It didn't. By the time everything circled back to the state regulator Gene Arthur and his federal counterparts, they could barely contain their smiles. Arthur passed away long ago, so I couldn't interview him to get his recollections.

But I learned that when he initially reached out to Delicato, he held no doubts that the deliveries were misrepresented. His team had tracked those shipments from field to winery and watched the fraud unfold with their own eyes. So the real reason he asked Delicato for documentation? To get those jabronis to commit mail fraud. Which is precisely what they did.

But I learned that when he initially reached out to Delicato, he held no doubts that the deliveries were misrepresented. His team had tracked those shipments from field to winery and watched the fraud unfold with their own eyes. So the real reason he asked Delicato for documentation? To get those jabronis to commit mail fraud. Which is precisely what they did.

So now, with this all but guaranteed charge for mail fraud in the bag, Arthur and his federal partners felt ready to crank up the heat. The case they were about to drop would shatter relationships up and down California and throughout the entire wine industry. I'm Chris Walker, your guide in this series about the largest grape fraud in U.S.

So now, with this all but guaranteed charge for mail fraud in the bag, Arthur and his federal partners felt ready to crank up the heat. The case they were about to drop would shatter relationships up and down California and throughout the entire wine industry. I'm Chris Walker, your guide in this series about the largest grape fraud in U.S.

history, the powerful family at the center of it, and how a stunning sequence of betrayals triggered the fall of a California dynasty and forever changed the way we make wine in America. From Fox's Basinck, this is Blood Vines. Jack Licciardi may have been cooped up at home with muscular dystrophy, but he was still the brains of his family business.

history, the powerful family at the center of it, and how a stunning sequence of betrayals triggered the fall of a California dynasty and forever changed the way we make wine in America. From Fox's Basinck, this is Blood Vines. Jack Licciardi may have been cooped up at home with muscular dystrophy, but he was still the brains of his family business.

It wasn't long before he found out about the state's inquiry at Delicato. Jack wondered if something untoward had happened during Michael's dealings with the Bavaros. He even froze a check for $150,000 made out to V&K Enterprises out of caution. But when he asked his son about it, Michael swore up and down that the deliveries in question were legit. This was all a big misunderstanding, he said.

It wasn't long before he found out about the state's inquiry at Delicato. Jack wondered if something untoward had happened during Michael's dealings with the Bavaros. He even froze a check for $150,000 made out to V&K Enterprises out of caution. But when he asked his son about it, Michael swore up and down that the deliveries in question were legit. This was all a big misunderstanding, he said.

It would all be cleared up as soon as they got the maps and other requested documents to Delicato. Jack wanted to believe his son, but in light of the state's inquiry, certain things seemed to take on new significance. Like Michael's new house, or should I say, mansion, which he'd recently built for himself, his wife, and four daughters in an exclusive neighborhood of Stockton called La Mirada.

It would all be cleared up as soon as they got the maps and other requested documents to Delicato. Jack wanted to believe his son, but in light of the state's inquiry, certain things seemed to take on new significance. Like Michael's new house, or should I say, mansion, which he'd recently built for himself, his wife, and four daughters in an exclusive neighborhood of Stockton called La Mirada.

That was Joanna LeChardy, Jack's middle daughter, recalling the first time she and her father visited Michael's new place.

That was Joanna LeChardy, Jack's middle daughter, recalling the first time she and her father visited Michael's new place.

Jack and his wife Mary still lived in the same 1,400-square-foot house that they'd raised five children in. By contrast, Michael's luxury crib seemed excessive and highly suspicious. The whole family had heard Michael's grumblings about being underpaid. So where did the money to build this house come from?

Jack and his wife Mary still lived in the same 1,400-square-foot house that they'd raised five children in. By contrast, Michael's luxury crib seemed excessive and highly suspicious. The whole family had heard Michael's grumblings about being underpaid. So where did the money to build this house come from?