Caveat Emptor

 

Caveat Emptor

The World of the Multiverse

      A short time ago with temperatures down to -15°F (-26°C), Maria Elena and I, comfortably bundled in sofa throws, binge-watched the TV series, The Man in the High Castle.  We’d missed this historically convoluted, rapidly shifting drama years ago when it was doled out in forty installments over four years.  We got goosebumps watching but believe me, it wasn’t because we were cold.  This fictional history presents a world where the Axis powers, not the Allies, have won WWII.  Germany controls the eastern half of the US, while Japan has colonized the west coast to the Rockies, where a neutral zone buffers these former allies. This, however, is only one ‘reality.’ We soon learned that there are multiple dimensions, in this case, multiple universes.  As a kid waiting for a Saturday haircut, I recall reading comic books while waiting my turn.  I vividly remember one in particular — a spaceship traveling to the edge of the universe.  Smashing through a barrier, it emerged only to find itself a spec on the rim of a birdbath in some unknowable garden.  Even then, before it had a name, I understood what a multiverse was.  Feel those goosebumps yet?

Watching this thought-provoking saga gets even ‘goose bumpier.’  As we continued to be overshadowed by alt-worlds and an overarching counterfeit history, we gradually became aware of a more subtle but unshakable theme.  Like the portrayal of this fantasy history, much more is fake.  Who is really who, and what is actually real is a blur if not the theme of this production.  Worlds apart, identities quickly shift along with character names, their locations, allegiances, and at times complete abandonment of their former selves.  Dark characters, made over to miraculously become white-hat, good guys, would soon revert.  With nothing fixed, nothing solid, I wondered how the actors kept track of the persona they were portraying, and which alternate universe they occupied in a particular scene.  We went so far as to question if the actors’ biographies and their actual names were real.  The elaborate complexity of this tale made it even more riveting for Maria Elena and me.  Two or three episodes nightly may not be considered binge-watching, but in addition to precluding the gradual drip of weekly episodes, it gave us time to consider the messages being communicated.

Today’s world is not dissimilar.  Technology and ubiquitous fake news conspire to complicate our lives and our world.  Technical advances make it easy to create and disseminate alternate versions of reality.  Imagery, for example, has gone far beyond Photoshop’s ability to change heads while altering a scene or creating voices matched to public figures is easy to forge into believability.  Need a speech or help with a test?  ChatGPT, a powerful artificially intelligent software program, can write one or even help pass a Wharton School of Business exam. ^{[1] [2]}  It’s said, “we are what we eat,” but aren’t we also what we are fed to see and read?

In The High Castle series, there were frequent visits to a memorabilia shop featuring high-value American historical artifacts.  In imitation of the faked documents and lives of its characters, it was here that authenticity was underwritten by forged slips of paper vouching to an object’s genuineness.  Like the class ring I wear asserting “Esse non-Videri” (“To Be Not to Seem”), truth is affirmed through individual action and, for bona fide objects, their actual use as intended.  This is the dilemma of “The Man in the High Castle” for in this world, nothing is really what it appears to be.  Real along with genuine, rare, and priceless, are jumbled with bogus, forged, and outright imitations.  In today’s world, a fake, whatever form it takes, is harder and harder to distinguish, so it is wise to be on guard. 

The Ever-Vigilant Carabinieri

    In Italy, the law enforcement agencies responsible for dealing with crimes of misrepresentation are the Guardia di 

Guardia di Finanza on 
the Move

 Finanza (Finance Police) and the Carabinieri (named after a rifle they traditionally carried).  Interpol summarizes the Guardia di Finanza as "a force with military status and nationwide responsibility among its other missions for financial crime investigations …” ^[3]  The Carabinieri are a national police force “responsible for … protecting the environment, health, work and the nation’s cultural heritage to the observance of EU agricultural and food regulations …” ^[4]  Though spared from having to deal with travel portals and alternate universes, our universe is enough to keep both agencies extremely busy.  

Fake ‘Made in Italy’ products, especially high-end, popular brands, flood today’s marketplace.  Much like the jumble of real and faked pieces of historic Americana in The Man in the High Castle, faked Italian products have all the trappings of the real thing, making it difficult for consumers to distinguish genuine from forgeries.  As in the case of High Castle characters’ efforts to pass on counterfeit pieces of Americana, today’s agro-criminals have done their jobs correctly when unknowingly, consumers walk away with a fake.  The fraudster’s business model appears to be working.  Their illegitimate parallel economy in Italian products is estimated to generate a whopping €120 billion annually worldwide.^[15]  In such a free for all global market, technology allows packaging to be copied and substitutions of key ingredients to be easily made.  Unsubstantiated claims of ‘Organic,’ ‘Green/All-natural,’ along with labels of ‘Italy,’ ‘Italian,’ and depictions of the Italian flag, intent on deception, play on a customer’s desire for Italian products.  Among the most copied ‘Made in Italy’ products targeted by organized crime in Italy and elsewhere are wines, cheeses, extra virgin olive oil, cold cuts, fresh fruit, and vegetables such as San Marzano tomatoes.  These authenticity thieves sometimes resort to what is called an ‘Italian Sounding Strategy.’  They’ve discovered that something as simple as spelling the name of a familiar Italian product a bit differently is enough to deceive consumers.  Parmesao Regianito substitutes for Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Parrano replaces Grana Padano, and Salsa Pomarola pretends to be Salsa di Pomodoro.^[11]  Although spelled correctly, the Panettone I almost purchased for Christmas hailed from Brazil, despite the green, white, and red Italian flag on the box.  Even more reason for buyers of ‘Made in Italy’ to be cautious.

The situation has grown critical when six out of ten Italian food products reaching our tables are forgeries and troubling that those around the table are unaware they have a copy in their hands.^[12] Today’s commerce has buyers at a disadvantage.  We are now forced to rely more and more upon the honesty of the seller.  Caveat emptor, “let the buyer beware,” is a common law maxim that buyers purchase at their own risk in the absence of an express warranty.  It’s enough to expect a proper tasting

DOC Label with Alphanumeric
and QR Codes

glass of wine and not have to reject it because it was drawn from an uncorked bottle that has been sitting open on the shelf for who knows how long.  These days, caution is demanded, beginning well before starting with the unopened bottle.

Italy has official forms of wine certification, DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin) and DOCG (Denomination of Controlled Origin and Guaranteed).  They were instituted to make it easier for consumers to understand what to expect from the content of a bottle of Italian wine.  A DOC label regulates grape varieties, where they are harvested, the producer, the growing method, harvest yields, alcohol levels, and aging requirements.  There are currently over 329 distinct DOC wines in Italy, each with unique regulations 

DOCG Label with Alphanumeric
and QR Codes

that winemakers must follow.^[6]  In contrast, the requirements for a bottle to be labeled DOCG are even stricter.  Yields must be lower, and the wine must be aged for at least two years in oak followed by one year in the bottle.  DOCG-certified wines must also satisfy government taste testing before receiving the government garantita set aside for Italian wines of exceptionally high quality.^[5]  In all of Italy, there are just 74 DOCG-certified wines. ^[6]  Both types of certification include an alphanumeric code across the neck of the bottle to prevent counterfeiting (see photos).  Unfortunately, even these protections are often outflanked by technology as criminals reach around these safeguards.^[6]

In 2015, Sotheby’s —New York auctioned a case of 1985-vintage Bolgheri region DOC Sassicaia, considered one of Italy’s most renowned wines, for $18,375.^[7]   In 2018, the 2015 vintage achieved

Warehouse Fakes of 24-month Oak Barrel
Aged DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia Wine

Wine Spectator praise as the world’s best.^[9]  In 2019, the 2016 vintage was awarded the maximum 100 points by American wine critic Robert Parker.  Four years later, on average, a single 2016 bottle of Sassicaia would sell for €561.  Criminal elements did not miss the potential for this kind of return. 

In 2020, CNN reported that Italian police broke up a crime ring producing counterfeit bottles of this Super-Tuscan wine.^[7]  The ploy originated in Sicily.  Empty bottles hailed from Turkey.  The meticulously crafted labels and Sassicaia-branded wood cases came from Bulgaria.  The fraud continued when bottles were filled with low-quality Sicilian wine and wrapped in producer Tenuta San Guido’s distinctive tissue paper, duplicated to the original’s precise thickness and color in Bulgaria.^[8]  Over 4,000 counterfeit bottles of this prestigious red wine were subsequently seized in Operation “Bad Tuscan” by Italian police.  CNN further reported that the counterfeiting ring was believed to have produced 700 cases totaling 4,200 bottles each month, amounting to about €40,000 in sales.  Not surprisingly, the 2010 and 2015 vintages, so celebrated by wine critics, were the most prevalent among those confiscated.  In fact, when raiding the counterfeiters’ warehouse, police found them labeling bottles as the vineyard’s 2015 vintage. 

I understand that amazing discounts are possible when you buy something that miraculously fell from a truck or is sold off a tailgate, but in this instance, 

What's in Your Wine Glass?

it went sideways.  Totally by chance, two members of the Guardia di Finanza, of all people, came upon a case of the faked wine which appeared to have fallen from a truck on a street in Empoli, Tuscany.  Finding a case of such a valuable wine lying on the side of an Italian road was definitely suspicious.  Stranger yet, a note inside the case contained two mobile phone numbers.  

A few calls and the year-long investigation that followed led to the arrest of a father and son in a Milan warehouse.  This incident reminded me of a similar event when electronics were stolen from a friend’s convertible.  Apprehending the ‘perp’ was straightforward when his wallet was discovered on the car’s floor.  The matter was closed that day.  In the case of the imitation wine, an investigation of eleven others thought complicit in the scheme ensued.  From phone intercepts, police learned that the clever counterfeiters were selling cases of 2015 Sassicaia for around €500, about 70 percent less than an authentic case.  Subsequent telephone surveillance suggested the counterfeiting ring was preparing 1,100 cases of wine for Chinese, Korean, and Russian customers estimated to have had a market value of nearly two million euros.^{[8] [10]}  I needn’t worry about my supply of Sassicaia.  I haven’t any bottles, not a single one, aging in my wine cellar alcove!

This kind of fraud is today mirrored across Italy and the world.  In another report …

“The Italian NAS Carabinieri of Florence … supported by Europol, took down a network of wine counterfeiters, selling online fake premium Italian wines. Law enforcement officers carried out raids in eight Italian provinces (Avellino, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Brescia, Como, Foggia, Pisa, Prato, and Rome). The investigation discovered that low-quality wines were used to refill bottles having their original labels [authentic bottles gathered from restaurants] Packaging films and false masking guarantee seals [DOC & DOCG] were finally applied to conceal the lack of distinctive labels on the capsules [shrink wrap bottle tops] used for the counterfeit units and then sold through an online auction service. Once contact with a buyer was established, the counterfeiters expanded their promotional offers even further, setting prices way below the ones usually seen on the market.  The wines were sold in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United States, often ending in the glasses of unaware customers of wine bars and catering services” ^[13]

We are not safe thinking that if we do not deal with high-cost wines, we’re immune to these tactics.  Such fraudulent activity isn’t restricted to high-cost varietals: Any wine can be targeted.  Everyday wines such as Chianti, Prosecco, and Amarone are favorite victims of fraudsters as well.  Early in 2020, a joint operation conducted by Europol and Interpol, targeted the trafficking of

Sunshine in a Bottle!

counterfeit wine and other products across 22 countries.  An investigation led by the Italian Anti-fraud Carabinieri NAS department resulted in the successful break up of an Italian Chinese operation that bottled wines with a false indication of origin, including fake Chianti, and sold them throughout China.^[14]

When quality is jeopardized by greed, and ‘more’ outpaces ‘meaningful,’ what can we do to avoid being conned by fraudsters?  Question each bottle?  Stop drinking wine altogether?  Maybe I’m naïve because ‘real’ is what I’m used to and expect.  Being literal, I believe what I’m told, see, and read on labels and packaging.  Not enjoying vino would be as unimaginable as drinking nothing but water.

Conveniences of today’s technology, such as medical advances, the Internet, and practically instant communication, come hand in hand with the risk of high-tech fraud.  Unless there is some sort of black hole portal to the multiverse the likes of

A Mimeograph Machine and Those
'Dirty Purples'

The Man in the High Castle, there is no way to return to a former, less complicated world of carbon paper, mimeograph machines, and IBM Selectric typewriters.  As with everything in our technology-dominated world, where we must deal with computer viruses, fraudulent emails, and identity theft, we must be vigilant and on guard when it comes to product labels.  A careful look at the front and back wine labels helps, especially if details are wanting or there are clear discrepancies like the lack of that alphanumeric government seal on a DOC/DOCG bottle’s neck especially when you know one should be there.  An inordinately low price compared to a genuine item is another clue that we may be dealing with an imposter.  Due diligence is the added price we pay.  With reasonable care then and by dealing with reputable sources, go ahead, pull that cork, and enjoy your sunshine in a bottle. 

From That Rogue Tourist,
Paolo

[1] Rep. Jake Auchincloss uses ChatGPT AI to Write House Speech, https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/chatgpt-artificial-intelligence-change-future-of-education-congressman-jake-auchincloss-house-speech/#:~:text=Auchincloss%20became%20the%20first%20Congressman%20to%20present%20a,a%20response%20as%20if%20a%20human%20wrote%20it

[2] AI Program Earned Passing Bar Exam Scores on Evidence and Torts; Can it Work in Court?, AI program earned passing bar exam scores on evidence and torts; can it work in court? (abajournal.com)

[3] Italie, Interpol. 1 March 2016, https://www.interpol.int/fr/Qui-nous-sommes/Les-pays-membres/Europe/Italie

[4] Italy, Europol. 7 March 2018, https://www.europol.europa.eu/partners-collaboration/member-states/italy

[5] Fake Foods: Italy’s Most Counterfeited Products, Italy's most faked foods | The Italian Food Experts

[6] What Is DOC and DOCG Wine? Differences Between DOC, DOCG, IGT, and VdT on Italian Wine Labels, What Is DOC and DOCG Wine? Differences Between DOC, DOCG, IGT, and VdT on Italian Wine Labels - 2023 - MasterClass

[7] Italian Police Seize 4,000 Bottles of Counterfeit 'Super Tuscan' Wine, Fakes imitate one of Italy’s top wines, Bolgheri Sassicaia, which costs up to £320 a Bottle - Search (bing.com)

[8] Italian Police Bust Counterfeit Sassicaia Wine Ring, October 15, 2020,

Italian Police Bust Counterfeit Sassicaia Wine Ring | VinePair

[9] Asta Record per il Sassicaia 1985, Asta record per il Sassicaia 1985 Il Tirreno

[10] Italian Police Uncover Counterfeit Sassicaia Ring,

Italian Police Uncover Counterfeit Sassicaia Ring | Wine Spectator

[11] What are the Most Copied Italian Foods in the World?, Oct 16, 2020,

Italian Sounding: 10 most copied Italian foods in the world (sistemieconsulenze.it)

[12] Fake Italian Foods: 6 Out of 10 Products are Forgeries, 10 Feb 2023, Fake Italian Food: 6 Out of 10 Products Are Forgeries (italicsmag.com)

[13] Fake Wines Sold Under Expensive Italian Labels Off the Market, 30 June 2020, Fake wines sold under expensive Italian labels off the market | Europol (Europa.eu)

[14] Italian Authorities Battle Wine Counterfeits, 12 Jan 2022, Italian Authorities Battle Wine Counterfeits - Pix

[15] Fake 'Italian' Food Products' Global Turnover Up to 120bn, Fake 'Italian' food products' global turnover up to 120bn - Lifestyle - ANSA.it