They’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse;
Organised groups linked to the Italian Mafia are among those to have infiltrated the industry, Jason Wright, senior director of Kroll’s consulting group, told The Times.
While emphasising that the overwhelming majority of European wind projects were “entirely legitimate”, he said that criminals were increasingly investing in the industry, both to qualify for subsidies and to launder profits from drug-running and other illegal activities.
Kroll, he added, was doing brisk business conducting due diligence on renewable energy projects on behalf of big banks and other potential investors.
The American-owned Kroll has detected a sharp increase since 2007 in the number of cases involving fraud and corruption in the wind energy sector – chiefly in Italy and Spain but also in Bulgaria, Romania and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe.
“Renewable energy is completely dependent on subsidies, so it is clearly an area for corruption,” Mr Wright said.
Related – “Under the Green Energy Act, renewable energy developers are supposed to consult with municipalities in advance of planning such as turbine developments. The Act, however, appears to take away the power of municipal councils to rule on such developments.”
So the Mafia infiltrating the wind energy industry. This is surprising? The Mafia is just following examples set by the purveyors of the fraud.
It was only a matter of time until the lower echelon criminal element joined the party.
Syncro
The Mob goes where the money is. If you announce a $5B investment in anything they are there bribing city council for the contracts. They especially love “green” stuff as there are no checks and balances in place. Reclaiming toxic land is a biggie for them right now.
The mob always knows a good racket when they see it.
Having lost booze, gambling and protection rackets to politicians, it’s time the pols payed the mob back by sharing one of their green rackets.
Anytime you have Feed-In tariffs that pay 8, 10, or even 15 times what something is worth, criminals will taker advantage of the windfall.
Buy a unit of electricity at $1 and use it to power a wind turbine or a solar panel and get the government to pay you $8, $10, or even $15 for the power you send back to the grid . . . better than finding you neighbours Mastercard & pin.
Green crime . . saving the planet and making ++ green for the new Eco-Grifters.
And what does the Head Racketeer have to say now that the fraud has been exposed?
” Well I believe Mark Twain often gets the credit for the saying … that a lie runs around the world before the truth gets its boots on,” Gore said. “Now I’m not sure that’s the real reason for it, but there is a sad but undeniable truth that those who wanted to try sowing confusion used an echo chamber from blogs and talk show hosts and biased right-wing media to promulgate the distortions of the paid skeptics and professional deniers who tried to undermine the evidence.”
Can you believe that !?
Does he really believe his BS ?
Is he crazy ?
Is he faking it ?
Just doing it for the money ?
Has no scruples whatsoever ?
All of the above.
Governments and organized crime have always had a symbiotic relationship (prohibition, censorship, Adscam, foreign aid, green subsidies, etc.)and both groups are parasites to taxpayers. Frankly, it is often difficult to tell which is the bigger criminal organization.
Like moths to a light bulb, scam artists are attracted to green subsidies.
It fits. When has the progressives ever been for anything unless they could suck money into their bank accounts? Using tax payer funds for hot air scams. Just gives them cover for thievery. The liberals favorite sport.
JMO
It’s like that solar farm in Spain selling power into the grid after the sun had set.
They got caught because somebody forgot to shut down the diesel generator…..
Ya just can’t get good help……..
Re: the Green Energy Act, your friendly OPP has taken to phoning people up that have registered their concerns about proposed wind projects in the Haldimand and Norfolk county area.
“Nice life ya got there, lady. Shame if anything were to … happen to it.”
I exaggerate not, my friends. OPP really, really is calling opponents of the wind projects to warn them about the bad things that happen to protesters -before- the protest even happens. Well documented in the local papers down here.
But 15,000 cops can’t keep some union affiliated punks from burning cop cars on Queen Street in Toronto, right? And OPP can’t do anything about the illegal smoke shops OFF the reserve on Highway 6, right?
Organized crime? Pffft, pikers. Mice in the walls stealing crumbs. Real crime is when you own the cops.
This is old news but on topic,
…
Police claim EU carbon credit fraud has topped €5bn
…
Read it at ,
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2254865/police-claim-eu-carbon-credit
I’m a legitimate businessman. And never ask me about my business, Tipper.
“Real crime is when you own the cops.”
Phantom, organized crime does own the cops in Hamilton. No doubt in Caledonia as well with all the cigarette money available. I have heard from very reliable sources that the whole mess in Caledonia is because the Natives want a casino there. Probably on the Douglas Estates which is the disputed lands.
gord, its just SO much worse than a few crooked cops getting paid off.
When you think about it, Mafia staff knows a scam when they see one.
Easy money, govenment contribution, what’s to loose?
I have met with some of the top cops and after you leave the meeting there is no doubt in your mind that the rot goes right to the top. When you’ve got Indians, organized crime and cops all working together you can’t fight them. Just get the hell out of the way. I have come to respect organized crime much more than the police. At least they are honest about what’s going on.
Aren’t the criminals the guys that give the subsidies? The mob and legitimate business are no different when pols throw money around, just better organised. And really when you are pithing away money for no good benefit what real difference does it make? You pay either way.
Well it is called “blow”