Domenico Serafino

From Justapedia, unleashing the power of collective wisdom
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Domenico Serafino
Chairman of Bangor City Football Club
Assumed office
2 September 2019
Preceded byStephen Vaughan Jr.
Chairman of S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio
In office
10 June 2020 – 5 May 2021
Preceded byFranco Fedeli
Succeeded byRoberto Renzi
Personal details
Born
Domenico Giuseppe Serafino[1]

1967
Italy
OccupationMusician, music producer, businessman

Domenico Giuseppe Serafino (born 1967) is an Italian musician and music producer. He is best noted for his role as chairman/ owner of association football clubs in Italy and Wales, many of which have gone out of business.

Music career

Serafino is a musician and music producer - and has had some popularity within South America during his musical career, particularly in the mid-1990s through to the 2000s. "His style defies conventional definitions, lying somewhere at the intersection of rap, funk and rock, with African influences in both sound and aesthetic."[2] The video for his 1999 song Ma Chi M’accompagna features former Italian international footballer, Roberto Baggio.

Football chairman and owner

Bangor City

In the summer of 2019, with then Cymru Premier club Bangor City in financial troubles via the then ownership of Vaughan Sports Management, new investment and ownership was being sought. By September a consortium of investors had taken control of Bangor and Serafino was installed as chairman.[3][4][5] Serafino brought in Argentine World Cup winner Pedro Pasculli as the new manager of the team.[6][7]

In April 2020 Serafino made a £5,000 donation to local hospital Ysbyty Gwynedd to help it fight the outbreak of coronavirus.[8] The club finished the inaugural Cymru North season in fifth place in a season curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic with the final table determined on a points-per-game basis.

In April 2021 the club was refused a Tier 1 licence on the basis of a failure to provide the club's financial accounts as part of their application along with an issue in relation to coaching qualifications.[9]

Concerns over unpaid wages for club players and club officials were reported in the press In October 2021, who noted similarities to a situation in early 2021 at Sambenedettese.[10] The club were summoned by the Football Association of Wales to a disciplinary hearing over the matter.[11] The panel ruled that "all outstanding monies" must be paid within 31 days from 29 October 2021 - the club owed nearly £53,000 of unpaid wages to players and staff - with the sanction in the event of non-payment being the club would be banned "from all football related activity".[12] On 30 November the Football Association of Wales suspended the club from all football related activity after they failed to comply with the payment of outstanding monies.[13][14] As the club were suspended from football their Cymru North matches against five clubs were postponed between 30 November and February 2022, with the club docked three points for each missed match and also fined.

On 7 January 2022 it was announced by FAW that the club had not applied for a licence to compete in the tier 2 Cymru North for the 2022–23 season, or at tier 3 level.[15] On 14 January the club's academy announced on social media that closing with immediate effect after no support was forthcoming from the club and there had been no concrete evidence from the FAW or the club that the situation at the club was going to improve.[16]

On 11 February the FAW announced that the club had until 19 February to pay all outstanding fines or they would be immediately expelled from the Cymru North. It also announced that in the event the club paid outstanding fines, they would have to play all subsequent league fixtures or they would also face immediate expulsion from the league.[17]

"A club competing in the second tier of Welsh professional football" and "a club with a noteworthy history. They have had some spells in the international European tournaments" was shortly afterwards advertised for sale with asking price of £1.25 million.[18] The club was reported as Bangor City with the Daily Post noting the "eye-watering price" did not include the club's ground which was leased from the council.[19]

On 18 February the club announced in an official statement by Serafino they had informed the FAW that they had withdrawn from the Cymru North for the 2021–22 season.[20] They also noted plans to return to play for the following season.[21] Later that day, the FAW confirmed that the club's withdrawal had been accepted and it's playing record in the league for the season had been expunged.[22]

The club failed to enter a team in any league for the 2022–23 season. At the start of August 2022, the club surrendered its lease on Nantporth Stadium.[23] The club were also served with their first Gazette notice for a compulsory strike-off, the first step in Companies House striking off a company from its register.[24]

Sambenedettese

In June 2020 he was unveiled as the new owner and chairman of Italian Serie C side S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio.[25] He claimed to have paid former owner Franco Fedeli over 1.2 million euros for the club.[26] The deal was announced by the club on 10 June.[27]

In late March 2021 the club's players threatened to strike, and not play the match scheduled for Saturday 3 April in Matelica. A statement by the Italian Footballers Association, which published the press release, stated that the players had not received payment of the monthly salaries of November – December 2020 and January – February 2021 and that Sefarino had personally assured them that he would settle the arrears of salaries no later than Friday 2 April.[28]

In April 2021 the club were docked four points from their current campaign due to unpaid player wages, fined €3,000 and Serafino was given a six-month suspension from running football clubs in a decision by the FIGC tribunal.[29] A pig's head was left outside Serafino's home in Italy with under it a photo of Serafino - it was believed this related to the lack of payment of players' wages.[30] In early April, five different companies sought bankruptcy petitions for non-payment of delivery of services.[31]

After Serafino's failure to comply with several financial requirements,[32] the club was declared bankrupt by the Court of Ascoli Piceno in May 2021.[33] Entrepreneur Roberto Renzi took over the club, it was refounded as A.S. Sambenedettese and, after repaying all debts, was formally accepted by the Italian Football Federation, rejoining in the Serie D league.[34]

In October 2021 the Milan Court bankruptcy section also declared Sudaires srl, the company owned by Serafino and his son Francesco, bankrupt, a company which had previously held all the shares of S.S. Sambenedettese. This bankruptcy charge was bought by Powergrass for works at the Stadio Riviera delle Palme where they had only been partially paid[35] and SDS Strategic.[36]

Journalism investigation

Serafino's ownership of both clubs was part of a British Broadcasting Corporation Wales investigation, broadcast on UK television in May 2022 which also noted he worked with an accountant, Ignazio Spinnato, who has been convicted over his role in a multi-million pound drug trafficking and money laundering operation run by the Italian organised crime group, the 'Ndrangheta mafia.[37]

Personal life

Serafino is from Calabria in the south of Italy and a Napoli fan.[38] He spent some time living in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 2009.

His son Francesco is a footballer who has played for the two clubs his father has owned.

References

  1. ^ "Domenico Giuseppe SERAFINO". Companies House. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  2. ^ "From Buenos Aires to the Adriatic (via Bangor): The Improbable Football Empire Involving an Italian Music Star, a World Cup Winner and Delvecchio's Son". Calcio England. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Club Takeover Confirmed".
  4. ^ 2 Sep, The Bangor Aye |; News, 2019 | Bangor; Business; Sport | 0 | (2 September 2019). "Bangor City confirm club takeover by Italian consortium". The Bangor Aye. Retrieved 16 June 2020. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ "Bangor City FC takeover formally announced as Dominico Serafino becomes chairman". North Wales Chronicle. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Pedro Pasculli: Bangor City appoint World Cup winner as new manager". BBC Sport. 5 October 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  7. ^ "Pedro Pasculli: from Maradona's World Cup roommate to Bangor City manager". The Guardian. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Bangor City president Serafino makes £5,000 donation to intensive care unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd". North Wales Chronicle. 29 March 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  9. ^ Jones, Dave. "Bangor City slammed by board advisor over licence failure". Grassroots North Wales. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  10. ^ Loader, Gwyn (2 October 2021). "Bangor City FC: Worries over club's unpaid debts". BBC Sport/ Newyddion S4C. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  11. ^ Loader, Gwyn (15 October 2021). "Bangor City FC summoned to hearing over unpaid wages". BBC Sport/ Newyddion S4C. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  12. ^ "Bangor City face football ban over unpaid wages". BBC. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  13. ^ Lewis, Thomas (30 November 2021). "Bangor City FC suspended from all football activity over unpaid wages dispute". Daily Post. North Wales Live. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Bangor City handed football ban by FAW over unpaid wages". BBC Sport. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  15. ^ "Bangor City: Suspended former Welsh champions did not seek Cymru North licence for next season". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Academy Statement". Twitter. Bangor City FC Academy. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  17. ^ "FAW issues Bangor City update". Football Association of Wales. 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  18. ^ "100 Year Old Welsh Football Club For Sale". businessforsales.com. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  19. ^ Lewis, Thomas (15 February 2022). "Bangor City FC listed for sale for eye-watering price as clock ticks on league expulsion". North Wales Live. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  20. ^ "Official Statement: 18 February 2022". Facebook. Bangor City FC. 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  21. ^ "Bangor City rock Welsh football after withdrawal from the Cymru North". Y Clwb Pel-Droed. 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  22. ^ "FAW Board confirms Bangor City withdrawal from JD Cymru North". Football Association of Wales. 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  23. ^ "Bangor City surrender lease of Nantporth Stadium". The Bangor Aye. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  24. ^ "BANGOR CITY SERVED NOTICE FOR 'COMPULSORY STRIKE-OFF'". The Bangor Aye. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  25. ^ "Domenico Serafino è il nuovo presidente della Sambenedettese" (in Italian). NoiSamb.it. 10 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  26. ^ Perotti, Nazzareno (13 June 2020). "Domenico Serafino: "Voglio far tornare la Samb ai fasti del passato, ho dato a Fedeli oltre 1,2 milioni"" (in Italian). Riviera Oggi. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  27. ^ "UFFICIALE - Domenico Serafino è il nuovo presidente della Samb" (in Italian). TuttoC. 10 June 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  28. ^ "Samb footballers threaten strike: "If Serafino doesn't pay by Friday, we won't go to Matelica"". World Today News. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  29. ^ Campanale, Susy (28 April 2021). "Sambendettese docked points". Football Italia. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  30. ^ Amoruso, Alessandro (2 April 2021). "Crisi Sambenedettese, testa di maiale davanti all'abitazione del presidente Serafino" (in Italian). SPORTface.it. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  31. ^ Piazzolla, Antonio (8 April 2021). "5 aziende presenteranno istanza di fallimento per la Sambenedettese" (in Italian). lagoleada.it. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  32. ^ "La Samb adesso è ad un passo dal fallimento" (in Italian). lagoleada.it. 24 April 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  33. ^ "Istanza di fallimento per la Samb? "Serafino è sparito" e intanto Felleca…" (in Italian). lagoleada.it. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  34. ^ "COMUNICATO UFFICIALE N. 260/A" (PDF) (in Italian). FIGC. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  35. ^ "Domenico Serafino, arriva il fallimento per la Sudaires" (in Italian). La Gazetta Rosso Blu. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  36. ^ "Lavori allo stadio, fallisce pure la Sudaires di Domenico Serafino. "Assegni non pagati per il campo sportivo"" (in Italian). Lanuova Riviera. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  37. ^ "Bangor City: The pop star, the football club and the Mafia link". BBC. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  38. ^ https://archive.today/20200315132321/https://www.spazionapoli.it/2016/02/05/esclusiva-francesco-serafino-italiano-boca-burocrazia-napoli/ EXCLUSIVE - The story of Francesco Serafino, the Italian ex Boca stopped by the bureaucracy: "I would have loved to play in Napoli, the team of my father's heart..."

External links

Retrieved from "https://justapedia.org/index.php?title=Domenico_Serafino&oldid=1111956641"