ciao bella, or vesti la mugu

updated march 13, 2009

Cy Gezunt, retired talent agent, is amazed to learn he is the sole heir of Luciano Pavarotti.


The Cast

Donald Bella, linked in some mysterious way to the estate of Luciano Pavarotti, world-famous tenor
versus
Cy Gezunt, semi-retired talent agent, on a spiritual retreat with the Holy Bagel Community (Spomona chapter)

[The Spomona chapter is an American offshoot of the British Holy Bagel Community.]


Donald Bella
From: don_bella@live.com
Subject: SECOND NOTICE!
Date: February 10, 2009
Reply-To: donbella@live.com

FOR YOUR URGENT ATTENTION:

Re-Notification of Bequest On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the Estate of late Luciano Pavarotti.

I hereby notify you again that (late Mr. Luciano Pavarotti) made a bequest to your name as the beneficiary of the total sum of (13 million U.S dollars) in the codicil and last testament of his WILL for charity project, you should be aware of this because this is my second letter to you. Late Luciano Pavarotti was well known for his humanitarian work, he was the founder and the host of Pavarotti & Friends' Annual Charity Concerts and related activities in Modena Italy, and there he sang with international Stars of all styles to raise funds for several worthy causes and Charity Projects. Until his death he was a very dedicated Christian who love to give alms, his great philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his life time.
According to his wish, you are to use this fund for the support of your activities and to help the poor and the needy. You may like to read more about him on this website
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0667556/bio

I request that you forward to me (1) your current telephone and fax numbers (2) your current address (3) your full names and occupation, to enable me file the necessary documents for the transfer of this sum to you as he wished.

Yours in Service,
Donald Bella

[Despite the "SECOND NOTICE" in the subject line, this is the first approach from the scammer. This is standard procedure. The potential victim will presumably say "but I never heard from you before" and that's ok. Anything to get a response. Usually I wouldn't bother with the Dead Bank Customer format, which is what this is, but Pavarotti? I couldn't resist.]

Cy Gezunt
Dear Mr. Bella,
Your e-mail astonishes me. Poor Luciano never mentioned this to me, and I have not received any other letters from you.

You don't need to tell me about Luciano's charitable nature, nor do I need to consult a web site about his life. He was the best client I ever had, and a friend, and I grieve for him.

If he has truly decided to remember me in his will, then I am very grateful, as these are hard times for operatic empresarios.

However, are you sure you have the right person? As I say, this is all news to me. I know Luciano wanted to sponsor my cousin Shira through cantorial school, but she has already received her bequest. At the time Luciano fell ill, I was doing quite well, and he had no reason to think I needed help. [Now it's a different story - I could really use the bequest.]

Awaiting your reply

Respectfully
C. Gezunt

p.s. I am sending this to both addresses you mention, perhaps you made a typing mistake? They seem quite similar.
Donald Bella
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009

Dear C. Gezunt,

Thank you for your rejoin, yes, I am absolutely sure of it and I want to have his wish done, first and foremost I want you to know that an urgent and steadily attention should be given to this assignment for fast release of the fund to you.

As trust can have it, my late client Mr. Luciano Pavarotti trusted me and handed this fund in his LAST WILL to me in order to deliver to you for the Charity projects, I believe the same that you will not simply run away with this fund without having his wish for charitable organizations done completed.

Before we progress, I want you to know that I will make available all the legal paperwork required for the release of this fund (US$13,000,000.00) to you for the charity project as our late client Mr. Luciano Pavarottis WILL said.

Forward to me the following information of yours so that I will proceed in getting the necessary document for the release of the fund in your favour.

(1) Your current telephone and fax numbers
(2) Your current address and
(3) Your full names and

I hereby send to you copies of the WILL and Deposit certificate together with the contact information to the paying bank, so that you will contact the Finance Company.

RBS Remittance House
(Foreign Remittance Dept)
Edinburgh , United Kingdom
Tel: (00) 44 7024 08 3943
Fax: (00) 44 8704 79 4654
Email: crediting_rbscotland@ubbi.com

See the attached files the deposit certificate and copy of the last will of late Mr. Luciano Pavarotti.
Officially contact the bank now by email and request for the release of the funds to you as soon as possible, and get back to me either by phone +44 7045 72 2678 or by email so that I will start securing the legal documentation that may required for the release.

Yours faithfully,
Donald Bella (Esq.)
Tel: +44 7045 72 2678

Cy Gezunt
Dear Mr. Bella,

The attached certificate and will were thoroughly convincing.
However, there are some problems here.

(A) EXECUTORSHIP
Your first e-mail said that I was one of Luciano's beneficiaries.
Now, you say I am the executor of his will, and sole (!) beneficiary.
I was on good terms with his family (before a certain unfortunate incident), and I doubt they will accept this arrangement.
Also, if I am the executor, why do I need you, to put it plainly? Why hasn't Luciano's attorney contacted me? [I should point out that his attorney is close to a certain segment of Italian society, if you know what I mean. I don't want any trouble.]

(B) THE BANK
-Why would Luciano have deposited his money in Scotland, a country he detested? [I thought this was irrational, but some people just can't stand bagpipes. I really like them myself.]
-Also, he was worth a lot more than $13 million. If I am the sole beneficiary, where's the rest of the money?
-Why would the Royal Bank of Scotland quote a deposit in dollars?

(C) CHARITY
Your first ("second"?) e-mail stated: "...you are to use this fund for the support of your activities and to help the poor and the needy."

Now you only state: "Mr. Luciano Pavarotti trusted me ... to deliver to you for the "Charity projects" "

I do donate to charity - I give every year to the Modena Underwriters' Geriatric Union) - but actually running a project is another thing. I'm retired.

(D) THE INFORMATION YOU ASKED FOR:
(1) Your current telephone and fax numbers: I can give you this, but (see below)
(2) Your current address and (?? you didn't finish this line, what do you want here?)
(3) Your full names and (?? you didn't finish this line, what do you want here?)

Please address these matters so that we can move on.

Yours in circularity,
C. Gezunt
HBC (Spomona chapter)
Cy Gezunt

[I figured I blew it with all my questions.]

Dear Mr. Bella,
I haven't heard from you, and am wondering if this is a good faith offer.

Did you understand my questions? I'm sure you'll agree it's best to tie up all the loose ends.

Luciano's family are rather grasping, so maybe he wanted to hand off his charitable operations to someone else, but I'd still like to be sure this is on the up-and-up.

Sincerely,
C. Gezunt
Donald Bella

[But he's back!]

Dear C. Gezunt
Saturday, February 21, 2009

Dear Mr. Gezunt ,

Thanks for your email and sorry I reply a little late due to accumulative administrative work.
Clarifying the clauses you raised

(A) EXECUTORSHIP:
Mr. Luciano Pavarotti adopted you as the beneficiary and executor of his will because at the time he wrote the will, his health was deteriorating badly and his personal attorney then tried to advantage of his poor health condition and persuaded the doctor taken care of Mr. Luciano that he should inject Late Mr. Luciano with a poisonous substance so Luciano then can die untimely without a will which would pave way for him to take control of Mr. Luciano Pavarotti's money and share part with the doctor. But the doctor refuses and reveals this to Mr. Luciano. A development Mr. Luciano gets furious and resolved to adopt you as the beneficiary and the executioner.

[I'm impressed. He's putting in some effort. I often think these guys are partly in it for the humor themselves.]

(B) THE BANK
Depositing money in Scotland is a reason personally known to late Mr. Luciano Pavarotti, as he did not seek my advised or inform me before deposition, I can only suggest here that he must have made the deposit outside his country for safe keeping without knowledge of people around him who had already benefited enough from him and still want more. I do not know about his other wealth and asset how he distributed them, All I know of is what he assigned on me. On why Bank of Scotland would quote amount in US Dollars, from my own legal point of view, operating an account with any bank either in US dollars, pounds starlings, euros etc, depends on your agreement with the bank.

(C) CHARITY
What I clearly mean here is that you would have to set part of the funds for yourself to enable you on the course of the work, in areas of transportations, by land or air, phone calls and other miscellaneous while trying to reach out to various charity homes. It is very good to learn that you are not new in charity work as you have been donating before, Late Mr. Luciano, might have gotten pre information about your kind gesture on charity.

INFORMATION I ASKED:
Sorry about my incomplete words that was a typing error on my part, what I requested there are

(1) Your full Name
(2) Current address
(3) Current telephone

So on your receipt of my email, responds back with the needed details to enable proceedings.

Yours faithfully,
Donald Bella.
Cy Gezunt
Dear Mr. Bella,
Thank you for addressing my points so thoroughly. I guess it makes sense. I wouldn't be surprised if the wife put him up to it. You know what women are.

Here is the information:
(1) Your full Name: Seymour Cyrus Gezunt
(2) Current address: HBC Abbey, Room 48, Spomona, Napamattox 82994
(3) Current telephone: 206-984-3183 (if the staff pick up, PLEASE don't discuss this)

Understand, I don't want to run a charity, I would just donate the money, maybe to the Abbey, unless there's some cause you prefer?

Well, I await your instructions. I suppose there's some paperwork involved?

Yours in circularity,
Cy Gezunt

p.s. Do you like opera? It would move our relationship along if we had something in common beside poor dead Luciano. Despite a career representing world-class singers, only now do I feel old enough to really appreciate operas like The Maltese Falcon. Did you see Dame Mary Astor in the production at Modena? The last scene, in which the policeman leads her out, the look on her face! Astor is not, between you and me, the best voice, but what a face, what expressiveness. I don't think this is material a young person really feels in the gut; it takes some life experience, don't you think?

[Have I blown it? Or have I found someone with whom I can share my love of opera?]

Cy Gezunt
Dear Donald (may I call you Donald?),
My goodness. I hadn't counted on traveling to the UK. I thought you were going to come over here. I have explained I am retired and am on a retreat to try to get my health back. [I did too much LDS with Luciano and his pals back in the 60s.] Do I have to fly around the world to get some papers processed? I was beginning to get excited about this. The Abbey is kind of run-down and I think the money could make a difference.

Please tell me this isn't a deal-breaker.

Yours in circularity,
Cy

p.s. You didn't say if you liked opera. I would feel more at ease if you would respond on that score (no pun intended). I've spent my professional life among singers and musicians, and there's nothing like the bond between music lovers. Even if you prefer some other kind of music or performance, do tell me. We have an opera festival here at the Abbey every year. It's a benefit for the Abbey, and this spring we're doing the world premiere of "Bush in Chico". (Very modern as you might imagine) Shira even has a small part, I'm thrilled for her, and she got it all on her own.
Cy Gezunt
Now look here, Donald, I realize we have a deal to wrap up, but that's twice you've ignored a civil question from me. You're coming off a trifle unfriendly.

As to the money, let me know how much and I'll consider it.

That's if you can unbend enough to answer my few friendly remarks. I'm starting to feel uncomfortable with you. Do you like opera or not? If not, what do you like? Try to be a little more sociable. That's how we do things in Spomona. You make a relationship, then business. Especially when there's so much money involved. That's how we judge the character of a man.

Also, there's something odd on the will. Why does it say "8 of 8" ? Is there more? That would explain why there's only $13 million. I'm telling you, Luciano had a lot more money than that.

That's all for now.

Cy
Donald Bella
Dear Gezunt,

Hope you got my email which I told you I was out to Liverpool in an official assignment. As I earlier explained to you. I do not have broad Knowledge about opera, I know it to be a web browser and a show performance by some great artist, I have once watched Oprah Winfrey performed and it was fun anyway.

Regarding how much is needed for documentation and representation of your person as you may not be able to travel down here. I cannot say the exact amount until it is ascertain if you would prefer a bank to bank transfer or cash delivery by diplomatic means. So please clarify on this.

Why you have it page 8 of 8, is because the was the last page of a document printed out on the printer, other document were being printed at the same time but they were not meant for you, but because every thing was don at the same time, the printer automatically numbered that itself. Yes late Luciano had money as you rightly said, and I wouldn't know everything about his money, the one I know of is the one on the will which you already have a copy of the Will. So My friend, All you have to do on your receipt of my email, let me know in what way do you want to receive the funds so we would make documentation base on that and I would then enquire how much that would cost.

Do not hesitate to get back to me as soon as you get my email and ask any question you wish to for clarity and proceedings.

I look forward to hear from you.

Yours faithfully,
Don Bella Esq.

[A phone message appears on the line I set up specially for "Don", but it only contains a few seconds of silence.]

Cy Gezunt
Hello Don,
Please provide me with the costs for both options you mentioned.

Travel to the UK would be tough, although my wife says now that we've retired, we should go places. I've been to the big opera cities, of course, but not in some years.

I've cooled down, don't mind me, I get a bit lonely here at the Abbey. The fact is, retirement hasn't worked out the way I expected. My wife is bored, and spiritual enlightenment is hard when your body is beginning to break down. I thought I could get some big names for our opera fundraiser here at the Abbey, but no go. I'm glad you like Oprah. We actually offered her the female lead in "Bush in Chico", but she was unavailable. Maybe this deal will cheer me up. A man's got to have some interests in life.

By the way, did you ring me recently? I got a message with nothing in it.
Donald Bella

[He gets down to business.]

Dear Mr. Cy Gezunt,

It will cost 1800 pounds, send it via western union to my name, Donald Bella, London United Kingdom.

Yours faithfully,
Donald Bella Esq.
Cy Gezunt
Dear Don,
I was wondering if you were for real, it's been a week.
I had no idea so much money was involved.
Which option is that? You mentioned two options.

Also, I asked if you rang me. There is a strange message, it's nothing but silence. My wife is worried it might be related to the unfortunate incident which led to our estrangement from the Pavarottis (well the wife really; Luciano never dropped me, as his will shows).

Awaiting your reply
CG
Cy Gezunt

[Maybe I can bring him up to the surface of the pond if I bring in another Lad. Oh good - dbella_victory@live.com is available.]

Mr. Bella - see here. You got me all worked up and then nothing.
THEN I get this. Are you playing with me? We've been through all this. Did you lose my mails?
So I answered this mail too, and I'm waiting for a reply but now I'm wondering what's going on. It's like you forgot everything I sent you.
Please get in touch. I have my PET scan in a few days and to be honest, I'm running out of energy for this.

Here's your other mail:

From: dbella_victory@live.com
Subject: SECOND NOTICE!
Date: March 12, 2009 8:35:10 AM EST
Reply-To: dbella_victory@live.com

FOR YOUR URGENT ATTENTION:

Re-Notification of Bequest On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the Estate of late Luciano Pavarotti.

I hereby notify you again that (late Mr. Luciano Pavarotti) made a bequest to your name as the beneficiary of the total sum of (13 million U.S dollars) in the codicil and last testament of his WILL for charity project, you should be aware of this because this is my second letter to you. Late Luciano Pavarotti was well known for his humanitarian work, he was the founder and the host of Pavarotti & Friends' Annual Charity Concerts and related activities in Modena Italy, and there he sang with international Stars of all styles to raise funds for several worthy causes and Charity Projects. Until his death he was a very dedicated Christian who love to give alms, his great philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his life time.
According to his wish, you are to use this fund for the support of your activities and to help the poor and the needy. You may like to read more about him on this website http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0667556/bio

I request that you forward to me (1) your current telephone and fax numbers (2) your current address (3) your full names and occupation, to enable me file the necessary documents for the transfer of this sum to you as he wished.

Yours in Service,
D. Bella

[Blatant plagiarism! If I were Don Bella I'd be upset.]

Dion Bella

[Still nothing, so Dion Bella contacts Donald Bella directly.]

You think you take my maga? Think again.
I have told him not to contact you but he is foolish and contacts you anyway but I will have him.

[Will this do it? Or have I lost my Lad?]