Niccolo Mainoni

He says, actually, come work for me.

He says, actually, come work for me.

And you tell him, yeah, but only if I do exactly what I want.

And you tell him, yeah, but only if I do exactly what I want.

I only report to you. Only report to you.

I only report to you. Only report to you.

This sounded unbelievable, except that it was confirmed in every book, every article I've read about Patienza's hiring. In early 1981, he became Calvi's fixer for about a half a million dollars a year. Instead of fucking over Marcinkis, Patienza quit being a spy and went to work for the covert Marcinkis-Calvi Cold War slush fund syndicate. What did that actually involve?

This sounded unbelievable, except that it was confirmed in every book, every article I've read about Patienza's hiring. In early 1981, he became Calvi's fixer for about a half a million dollars a year. Instead of fucking over Marcinkis, Patienza quit being a spy and went to work for the covert Marcinkis-Calvi Cold War slush fund syndicate. What did that actually involve?

Well, Calvi normally moved through loans and wire transfers. But to ensure that the money was untraceable, the best way here was to go with literal cash, gold, preferably, moved across borders. One story that Pazienza told me was about a call he got from Archbishop Marcinkis. He said that the Pope wanted to transport $3 million in gold across the Iron Curtain to a Polish anti-communist group.

Well, Calvi normally moved through loans and wire transfers. But to ensure that the money was untraceable, the best way here was to go with literal cash, gold, preferably, moved across borders. One story that Pazienza told me was about a call he got from Archbishop Marcinkis. He said that the Pope wanted to transport $3 million in gold across the Iron Curtain to a Polish anti-communist group.

Pazienza flew the money to Calvi's associates in Switzerland, where the currency could be converted to small ingots of 99.99% pure gold. Pazienza then brought the gold back into Italy, and then to the border of Italy and Yugoslavia. There, he met a priest who would drive the gold to Poland in a small car.

Pazienza flew the money to Calvi's associates in Switzerland, where the currency could be converted to small ingots of 99.99% pure gold. Pazienza then brought the gold back into Italy, and then to the border of Italy and Yugoslavia. There, he met a priest who would drive the gold to Poland in a small car.

Pacienza said he checked every inch of this beat-up Soviet car, then he put a false bottom for the gold.

Pacienza said he checked every inch of this beat-up Soviet car, then he put a false bottom for the gold.

Pacienza told the priest, when you arrive at your destination in Danzig, Poland, give me a call. The code is Tanti Aguri, which is Italian for happy birthday. So Pacienza said day one passed and he stayed near his phone. Day two passed and still he waited. On day three, Pazienza began to get nervous.

Pacienza told the priest, when you arrive at your destination in Danzig, Poland, give me a call. The code is Tanti Aguri, which is Italian for happy birthday. So Pacienza said day one passed and he stayed near his phone. Day two passed and still he waited. On day three, Pazienza began to get nervous.

Happy birthday. Yeah. So the signal.

Happy birthday. Yeah. So the signal.

And it wasn't just in Poland. Potenza told me he helped Calvi and Marcinkus send money to anti-communist groups in Latin American countries, like Costa Rica and Panama. And Calvi, in return, got to keep using the Vatican's money and reputation to keep his bank afloat, just as he had hoped.

And it wasn't just in Poland. Potenza told me he helped Calvi and Marcinkus send money to anti-communist groups in Latin American countries, like Costa Rica and Panama. And Calvi, in return, got to keep using the Vatican's money and reputation to keep his bank afloat, just as he had hoped.