The now infamous Giovanni Di Stefano was a regular guest on my evening radio shows when I worked in Spain.
He was great value. He was blessed with a very thick skin.
No matter what I threw at him, he came back at me with a thoughtful argument.
I liked him. I still do.
I always introduced him as “The Devil’s Advocate”, the man who would defend anyone.
He had represented – or claimed to represent – clients as notorious as Saddam Hussein, Jeremy Bamber, Ian Brady, Harold Shipman and Charles Bronson.
He once told the BBC that he would have defended Hitler and that he would have represented Satan if the opportunity arose.
In February 2011, he was picked up by Spanish police on a European arrest warrant.
He was extradited to the UK to face charges of fraud, theft and money laundering.
In March 2013, he was found guilty of all the charges against him and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
It was claimed during his trial that he had never achieved a legal qualification nor passed the bar in any country.
Yet, he had acted for some very wealthy and powerful people. How?
Giovanni’s story was the subject of a recent documentary produced by SKY.
It’s an excellent film but left viewers with as many questions as answers.
Giovanni was recently released from prison and has returned to Italy to be with his family.
Who is the real Giovanni Di Stefano? Will we ever know the truth? Will he tell me?
I’ll be chatting to my old pal on The Richie Allen Show tonight, Wednesday June 7th. The live show as ever, begins at 5pm UK time.
Giovanni will join me from 5.30.
This is one you really do not want to miss.