1. Early Life and Education
Delfo Zorzi's formative years in Italy laid the groundwork for his later academic pursuits and initial political leanings.
1.1. Birth and Family Background
Delfo Zorzi was born on 3 July 1947, in Arzignano, a municipality near Vicenza in Italy. His family was involved in the leather business in Mestre, a mainland borough of Venice.
1.2. Academic Pursuits and Early Interests
In 1968, Zorzi moved to Naples to pursue studies in Asian languages. He eventually earned a PhD, with his graduation thesis focusing on the concept of Bushido.
2. Early Political Activities and Far-Right Affiliations
Zorzi's early adulthood was marked by his active engagement with Italian neo-fascist organizations, which significantly shaped his public image and future legal challenges.
2.1. Joining Ordine Nuovo
In 1966, Delfo Zorzi became a member of the neo-fascist organization Ordine NuovoItalian (New Order). By 1968, he had risen to a leadership position within the group, becoming the head of its Mestre branch. His involvement with such an extremist organization from an early age highlights his immersion in radical political ideologies.
3. Involvement in Terrorist Incidents and Legal Proceedings
Delfo Zorzi has been a central figure in multiple high-profile Italian terrorist bombing investigations, facing protracted legal battles despite ultimately being acquitted. His alleged involvement in these attacks, which caused significant loss of life and injury, remains a controversial aspect of his past.
3.1. Piazza Fontana Bombing
Zorzi was implicated in the Piazza Fontana bombing, a deadly terrorist attack that occurred on 12 December 1969, in Milan, Italy. He was considered a prime suspect in the bombing, which resulted in 17 deaths and 88 injuries. Due to his relocation to Japan, the Italian government made two formal requests for his extradition to Japan, once in the 1980s and again on 30 March 2000. Additionally, in 1997, Italian investigative authorities requested an INTERPOL international warrant for his arrest through the Japanese National Police Agency.
In June 2001, a Milan court, in an in absentia trial, sentenced Zorzi to life imprisonment. This conviction was based on testimony alleging that he had transported the bomb to Milan by car. However, on 12 March 2004, the Milan Court of Appeal reversed the conviction, issuing an acquittal, citing the unreliability of the key testimony. The Italian Supreme Court of Cassation upheld the appellate court's decision on 3 May 2005, making his acquittal definitive.
3.2. Piazza della Loggia Bombing
Zorzi was also suspected of involvement in the Piazza della Loggia bombing, which took place on 28 May 1974, in Brescia, Lombardy. This attack resulted in the deaths of eight people and injuries to 102 others. After a lengthy legal process, he was acquitted in the first instance on 16 November 2010, due to insufficient evidence. The Supreme Court of Cassation confirmed his acquittal regarding this accusation in 2014.
4. Life and Business in Japan
Following his departure from Italy, Delfo Zorzi established a new life and successful business career in Japan, acquiring Japanese citizenship and operating businesses across Europe.
4.1. Relocation to Japan and Naturalization
Delfo Zorzi relocated to Japan in 1974, initially arriving through a scholarship program established for Italian individuals in the country. In the 1980s, he married a Japanese woman. On 18 December 1989, he officially acquired Japanese citizenship, adopting the Japanese name 波元路伊Namimoto RoiJapanese, which he currently uses as Roi Hagen.
4.2. Business Activities
After settling in Japan, Zorzi began operating a trade business based in Tokyo. He later expanded his professional reach, taking on the role of financial director for several fashion-related businesses across Europe, including Sweden. These ventures primarily involved luxury goods such as handbags, furs, and leather products.
5. Financial Controversies
In recent years, Delfo Zorzi has been subject to allegations of financial misconduct and tax evasion, further contributing to the controversies surrounding his public profile.
5.1. Fur Trading Allegations
In September 2005, the Italian magazine L'Espresso published an article accusing Zorzi of engaging in fur dealing activities in Italy. The magazine alleged that he conducted these transactions through a series of firms operating under an assumed alias. Despite these accusations, the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation ultimately acquitted Zorzi of the charges in 2014.
5.2. Pandora Papers Involvement
In October 2021, Delfo Zorzi's name appeared in the Pandora Papers, a massive leak of financial documents revealing hidden offshore wealth and tax evasion by prominent individuals globally. He was specifically accused of tax evasion amounting to 75.00 M EUR by tax authorities. The reports indicated that he had purchased a luxury home using the services of a shell company, a common method for concealing ownership and avoiding taxes.
6. Assessment and Legacy
Delfo Zorzi's life presents a complex narrative, marked by his early involvement in extremist politics, severe legal accusations of terrorism, and a subsequent career in international business. Despite his acquittals in the major bombing cases, his persistent association with neo-fascist movements and the allegations of financial impropriety contribute to a contentious public perception. His journey from a suspected terrorist to a naturalized Japanese businessman involved in luxury goods highlights a stark contrast, where past allegations continue to cast a shadow over his current endeavors. The controversies surrounding his life underscore the lasting impact of his early political affiliations and the significant legal battles he endured.