The agent of Montreal Impact striker Marco Di Vaio and US-born Italian international Giuseppe Rossi are among the names involved a wide-ranging case of fraud in Italian courts, according to a report on soccerplus.ca.
Player representative Federico Pastorello – whose agency’s client list includes Di Vaio, Rossi (above) and Manchester United defender Patrice Evra – among others, has been accused of 38 violations of the country’s sports justice code. Among the allegations he is facing are pocketing bonuses that were due to his clients without their knowledge, failing to fully disclose information on transfers to the Italian Football Federation and producing fake documents.
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The New Jersey native Rossi is among five players directly mentioned in the referrals provided to the National Disciplinary Committee, stemming from his 2007 loan spell at Parma while under contract with Manchester United. According to the court filings, the proper documentation was never filed by Pastorello to make the loan official.
Three agents and 21 club officials are also cited by name in the case. Sixteen clubs are involved, including nine current Serie A sides.
Neither Di Vaio nor any other Impact player was cited in the case, according to the report, nor were any Impact players among the referrals brought to the Italian court.
The Impact declined to comment on the report, stating the Italian court proceeding is not a club matter.
Should Pastorello be found guilty, he could be stripped of his sports-agent license.
