Dario Item

Dario Item
Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to Spain, Monaco, and Liechtenstein | Permanent Representative to United Nations World Tourism Organization
Incumbent
Assumed office 2016
Prime Minister	Gaston Browne
Personal details
Born	(1972-06-28) June 28, 1972 (age 52) Naples
Education	University of Geneva, University of Parma

Dario Item is a Swiss and Antiguan and Barbudan diplomat and lawyer.^[1] He is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Antigua and Barbuda to Spain,^[2] Principality of Monaco, and the Principality of Liechtenstein.^[3][4][5][6] He is Antigua and Barbuda's Permanent Representative UNWTO.^[7][8][9] He is best known for his game changing efforts to boost investments in Antigua and Barbuda amounting to over 100 million,^[10] and for his investigations, which led to major revelations on Credit Suisse AT1 bonds considered by the Financial Times as "one of the most consequential European banking scoops of the year"^[11][12][13]

Dario Item is a descendant of an ancient and noble Swiss family, with roots in Bonaduz and Malans in the Canton of Graubünden. The family relocated to Naples in 1800 when it was the capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.^[14][10]

The Item family has a historical connection with Swiss regiments that served the Bourbon - Two Sicilies Royal House, to which they have remained devoted. His great-great-grandfather, Vincenzo Item, has earned multiple decorations, including a double gold medal in the Battle of Gaeta (1860-1861). Meanwhile, his great-grandfather, Aurelio Item, is recognized for the discovery of the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii, originally named Villa Item.^[14][15]

Dario Item finished high school education in Lugano. He further pursued his academic endeavors at the University of Geneva, as well as the Universities of Parma, Ferrara, Teramo, and Genoa in Italy. Item has earned a law degree (1996) and a degree in political science (2004), along with a master's degree in Trust law (2005) and in Legal psychology and psychopathology of criminal conduct (2006). He holds a PhD in Criminal Law and an LL.M in International Financial Crimes.^[16]

In 1998, he passed the bar examination at the Court of Appeals of the Canton of Ticino in Lugano. He obtained his certification as a public notary in 1999. In 2002, he successfully completed the examination qualifying him to practice law in Italy.^[14][1]

Since 1998, Dario Item has been actively engaged as an international lawyer with a focus on trust law, criminal law, banking law, diplomatic law, and consular law.

In 2015, he established a branch of his law firm in London. In 2016, he entered the diplomatic corps of Antigua and Barbuda, initially serving as Consul General, and subsequently assuming the role of Head of Mission at the Embassy in Madrid in 2018.

Beyond his diplomatic role, he has authored various academic works on trust law, banking and anti-money laundering law and criminal law.^[14]

In the aftermath of the Credit Suisse financial scandal resulting in the write-down of CHF 16 billion of AT1 bonds, Dario Item, on May 15, 2023, significantly contributed towards public understanding by publishing crucial documents on Antigua.news, a local media outlet in Antigua and Barbuda.^[17][3]

In the disclosure, Dario Item was the first to expose the contents of FINMA's orders on March 19 and March 22, 2023, highlighting contradictions with statements from FINMA, the Swiss government, the Swiss National Bank, and the CEO of Swiss Credit in the week preceding the bank's collapse.

His revelations gained substantial international attention, being prominently covered by Financial Times, Reuters,^[18] Finews,^[19] and other major news outlets.^[3][20] Financial Times considered this expose as "one of the most consequential European banking scoops of the year".^[21]

Following this, Ambassador Item continued to publish significant revelations. On October 3, 2023, he released an article titled "Credit Suisse AT1s Case: The Unspoken Things," shedding light on the lack of transparency during the March 19, 2023 press conference and the subsequent merger between UBS and Credit Suisse.^[22]

On November 3, 2023, another article titled "Credit Suisse AT1 Bonds: The Missed Opportunity" emphasized Credit Suisse's inconsistent behavior toward investors. These revelations brought forward by Dario Item became sources and further covered by Die Weltwoche, Inside Paradeplatz, and Corriere del Ticino.^[23][22][24]

On September 5, 2024, Ambassador Item published a new scoop on Antigua.news. In an article headlined “AT1 case: Credit Suisse relationship managers lied to clients, too” he made public a series of confidential documents showing how a pyramidal disinformation strategy aimed at reassuring the bank's clients and investors was in place in order to limit capital outflows and the loss of value of Credit Suisse Group's bonds and stocks. He showed how such behavior by management and relationship managers manipulated the market by doping the value of CSG securities and causing harm to investors. This news was picked up by Finews, Corriere del Ticino, Insideparadeplatz and Economia Digital and other media^{[25][26][27][28]}.

Dario Item is recognized by the international press as a primary source for comprehending the Credit Suisse AT1s case. According to Finews: “When it comes to the latest upheavals in the financial world's executive floors, the «Financial Times» is usually well-informed early on. It's also a common tactic at the local banking hub to prepare the markets for profound news through the British newspaper. Yet, in the heated legal battle concerning Credit Suisse's (CS) mandatory convertible bonds (AT1-Bonds), where nearly 16 billion Swiss francs are at stake for the parties involved, the British paper was repeatedly outpaced by the obscure «Antigua News»: Time and again, the news portal on the Caribbean island, unknown outside of it, reported faster and, above all, was exceptionally well-informed about the negotiations.”^[29]. The media outlet where Item published these scoops, Antigua.news, was awarded the Best Online News Media of the Year 2023 for the entire Caribbean.^[30]

In addition to his professional activities, Dario Item is actively involved in philanthropy, particularly supporting Antigua and Barbuda's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a member of the Caucus of European-based diplomats engaged in relief operations. Furthermore, Item supports the Rotary Club of Antigua and Barbuda, contributing to philanthropic projects on the island.^[31][32]

• Knight Grand Cross – Order of Saint Michael of the Wing
• Grand Collar – Order of the Eagle of Georgia
• Grand Collar – Order of Merit of the Portuguese Royal House
• Knight Grand Cross – Order of Emperor Menelik II
• Knight Grand Cross – Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa
• Great Star – R.O.C. of the Georgian Kingdom
• Senator Grand Badge – Order of Queen Tamara
• Caballero – Órden del Tercio de Extranjeros
• Caballero – Maestranza de Caballería de Castilla
• Medal – Real Cuerpo de la Nobleza del Principado de Asturias
• Medal – Cruz de Distinción del Ejército de Asturias
• Medal – 1300° A. Proclamación del Rey Don Pelayo
• Medal – Regimiento de Infantería Asturias n. 31

Dario Item is fluent in Italian, French, German, English and Spanish.^[33] Dario Item has been married since 2000. He is a father of 4 children.^[1]