Niccolo Mainoni

Finally, he was in. So now I've traveled all the way to Trieste, a town on the northernmost border of Italy, and almost on cue, Vitor's lawyer showed up first outside of my hotel. Fun fact, lawyers in Italy are actually called avvocato, which sounds like what guacamole is made from. So when two Italian lawyers greet each other, it sounds like we're saying, hello, avocado.

Finally, he was in. So now I've traveled all the way to Trieste, a town on the northernmost border of Italy, and almost on cue, Vitor's lawyer showed up first outside of my hotel. Fun fact, lawyers in Italy are actually called avvocato, which sounds like what guacamole is made from. So when two Italian lawyers greet each other, it sounds like we're saying, hello, avocado.

And as us two Italian avocados, we're going back and forth. A fit 70-something with cool, slicked-back hair walked out of my hotel. At that moment, I realized I'd actually seen him. He'd been sitting in the hotel lobby all along, surveying the scene. Just like I'd never met a mafioso or a spy until working on this story, I'd never met a smuggler either, and I wasn't sure what to expect.

And as us two Italian avocados, we're going back and forth. A fit 70-something with cool, slicked-back hair walked out of my hotel. At that moment, I realized I'd actually seen him. He'd been sitting in the hotel lobby all along, surveying the scene. Just like I'd never met a mafioso or a spy until working on this story, I'd never met a smuggler either, and I wasn't sure what to expect.

What immediately struck me about Vitor was how normal, nondescript he was. He has a fairly pronounced Northern Italian accent, sort of like a Midwestern accent in the United States. He'd easily blend into a crowd, which I imagine was helpful in his former line of work.

What immediately struck me about Vitor was how normal, nondescript he was. He has a fairly pronounced Northern Italian accent, sort of like a Midwestern accent in the United States. He'd easily blend into a crowd, which I imagine was helpful in his former line of work.

So the smuggler, the lawyer, and I settled into a room on the ground floor of the hotel, and Vitor began to tell me about his work before Calvi. Vitor didn't go too in-depth, but he did say he smuggled food and clothes across the Iron Curtain. It's easy to forget, but Italy was on the very border of the Cold War.

So the smuggler, the lawyer, and I settled into a room on the ground floor of the hotel, and Vitor began to tell me about his work before Calvi. Vitor didn't go too in-depth, but he did say he smuggled food and clothes across the Iron Curtain. It's easy to forget, but Italy was on the very border of the Cold War.

And Trieste, where Vitor lived, was very close to the border with Soviet bloc countries, like Yugoslavia. Great for smuggling goods or people. See, when Calvi was convicted of illegal currency exportation, he'd had to surrender his passport. The Italian government wouldn't allow him to leave the country. But that's exactly what he wanted to do, because if he stayed, he could be sent back to jail.

And Trieste, where Vitor lived, was very close to the border with Soviet bloc countries, like Yugoslavia. Great for smuggling goods or people. See, when Calvi was convicted of illegal currency exportation, he'd had to surrender his passport. The Italian government wouldn't allow him to leave the country. But that's exactly what he wanted to do, because if he stayed, he could be sent back to jail.

So he reached out to his new fixer, Flavio Carboni, to see if he could help. And Carboni reached out to Vitor.

So he reached out to his new fixer, Flavio Carboni, to see if he could help. And Carboni reached out to Vitor.

I interviewed Vitor in Italian, so I've enlisted an actor to read his responses in English. So Carboni and Vitor were dating sisters. They'd been friends for years, and so Carboni knew all about Vitor's work as a smuggler. It wasn't a huge surprise then that Carboni called Vitor and said he needed help smuggling a person.

I interviewed Vitor in Italian, so I've enlisted an actor to read his responses in English. So Carboni and Vitor were dating sisters. They'd been friends for years, and so Carboni knew all about Vitor's work as a smuggler. It wasn't a huge surprise then that Carboni called Vitor and said he needed help smuggling a person.

The next day, Vitor pulled up to a fancy hotel and saw an old Alfa Romeo driven by Carboni's assistant. As Vitor moved to open the passenger door and look down, eyes squinting, he saw the silhouette of Roberto Calvi. Bald head, dark suit, clutching a briefcase.

The next day, Vitor pulled up to a fancy hotel and saw an old Alfa Romeo driven by Carboni's assistant. As Vitor moved to open the passenger door and look down, eyes squinting, he saw the silhouette of Roberto Calvi. Bald head, dark suit, clutching a briefcase.

I thought that was strange. A 40-year-old insisting he help a 60-year-old with carrying a briefcase. Calvi wasn't an athlete, but he wasn't like 90 years old. Anyway, the directions that Vitor had from Carboni were to smuggle Calvi over the border.

I thought that was strange. A 40-year-old insisting he help a 60-year-old with carrying a briefcase. Calvi wasn't an athlete, but he wasn't like 90 years old. Anyway, the directions that Vitor had from Carboni were to smuggle Calvi over the border.

So Vitor took Calvi to his house that afternoon, and the two settled into Vitor's living room, waiting for midnight.

So Vitor took Calvi to his house that afternoon, and the two settled into Vitor's living room, waiting for midnight.