Dario Item, Earl of Rothes

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His Excellency

Dario Item

Earl of Rothes, Duke of Miraglia, Prince of St. Rosalie, Hereditary Sheriff of Fife
Ambassador Dario Item.jpg
Ambassador Dario Item in Madrid
Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to Spain, Monaco, and Liechtenstein; Permanent Representative to United Nations World Tourism Organization
Assumed office
2016
Personal details
Born (1972-06-28) June 28, 1972 (age 53)
Naples, Italy
NationalitySwiss, Antiguan and Barbudan
EducationUniversity of Geneva
University of Parma
ProfessionDiplomat, Lawyer
Known forPermanent Representative to the UNWTO
Disclosure of Credit Suisse AT1 bond case documents
Websitedarioitem.com

Dario Item, Earl of Rothes (born June 28, 1972) is a Swiss and Antiguan and Barbudan diplomat and lawyer.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] He is the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Antigua and Barbuda to Spain, the Principality of Monaco, and the Principality of Liechtenstein.[9][10][11][12][13][14] He is Antigua and Barbuda's permanent representative to the UNWTO.[15][16][17][18][19] He has supported investment initiatives in Antigua and Barbuda, with reported contributions exceeding $100 million.[20][21] He is best known for his investigations into the Credit Suisse AT1 bonds case which has been considered by the Financial Times’s as "one of the most consequential European banking scoops of the year".[22]

Biography

Dario Item was born into a noble Swiss family with historical roots in the municipalities of Bonaduz and Malans, located in the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland.[23] In the early 19th century, the family relocated to Naples during the period of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.[23]

Historical accounts suggest that members of the Item family were associated with Swiss regiments serving in the military of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Vincenzo Item, an ancestor, is reported to have received military honors for his role in the Battle of Gaeta (1860–1861).[24] Another ancestor, Aurelio Item, has been linked to the discovery of the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii, a site that is sometimes referred to as "Villa Item" in historical references.[24][25]

Education

Dario Item completed his secondary education in Lugano before pursuing higher education at the University of Geneva, followed by further academic studies at the Universities of Parma. He earned a law degree in 1996 and a degree in political science in 2004. He subsequently obtained a master’s degree in trust law in 2005 and another in legal psychology and the psychopathology of criminal conduct in 2006. He also holds a PhD in criminal law and an LL.M. in transnational financial crimes.[23][26][27] In 1998, Item passed the bar examination at the Court of Appeals of the Canton of Ticino in Lugano. He became a certified public notary in 1999 and, in 2002, completed the qualifying examination to practice law in Italy.[28][2]

Career

Since 1998, Dario Item has practiced as an international lawyer, specializing in areas such as criminal law, trust law, banking law, diplomatic law, and consular law. In 2015, he expanded his professional practice by opening a branch of his law firm in London. In 2016, Item joined the diplomatic service of Antigua and Barbuda. He was first appointed as Consul General and later became Head of Mission at the Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda in Madrid in 2018.

In addition to his legal and diplomatic work, Item has authored academic publications focusing on criminal law, banking and anti-money laundering legislation, and trust law.[28][29][2]

Credit Suisse case

In the aftermath of the Credit Suisse financial crisis, which led to the write-down of CHF 16 billion in AT1 bonds, Dario Item contributed to public discourse by publishing previously undisclosed documents on Antigua.news, a local media outlet in Antigua and Barbuda, on May 15, 2023.[30][10]

These disclosures included the contents of regulatory orders issued by FINMA on March 19 and March 22, 2023, which Item argued contradicted earlier statements from FINMA, the Swiss government, the Swiss National Bank, and Credit Suisse leadership.

The documents and commentary received international media attention and were cited by outlets including the Financial Times,[31] Reuters,[32] Finews,[33] and El Español,[34] among others.[35][36][37] Financial Times Corporate Finance Editor Robert Smith described the reporting as “one of the most consequential European banking scoops of the year.” In a follow-up article, the outlet stated that Item “got hold of the Swiss smoking gun and scooped the world’s financial press.”[10]

Item continued publishing material related to the case in subsequent months. On October 3, 2023, he authored an article titled "Credit Suisse AT1s Case: The Unspoken Things",[38] which criticized the transparency of a March 19, 2023 press conference and addressed aspects of the UBS-Credit Suisse merger. This report was covered by Corriere del Ticino,[39] Inside Paradeplatz,[40] and El País.

On November 3 and 4, 2023, Item published two additional articles. The first, “Credit Suisse AT1 Bonds: The Missed Opportunity”,[41] used internal documents to criticize the treatment of AT1 bondholders. The second, “CSG AT1s CASE: Class Action In the U.S. Against Credit Suisse, Its Officers and PricewaterhouseCoopers”,[42] reported on the filing of a class action lawsuit in the United States. Both articles were later cited by Die Weltwoche,[43] Corriere del Ticino,[44] Inside Paradeplatz[45] and El País.[46]

On March 3, 2024, Item published further material in an article titled "Credit Suisse AT1: FINMA Asks Court Not to Show Files to Plaintiffs",[47] presenting documents that suggested FINMA attempted to limit plaintiffs’ access to information through court procedures. This report was referenced by the Financial Times,[48][49] El País, Corriere del Ticino,[50] Finews,[51] and Tages-Anzeiger.[52]

On September 5, 2024, Antigua.news published another article by Item titled “AT1 Case: Credit Suisse Relationship Managers Lied to Clients, Too”.[53] The article disclosed internal communications suggesting that Credit Suisse employed a strategy to reassure clients and minimize capital flight, allegedly misrepresenting the bank’s financial state. This report was cited by Finews, Corriere del Ticino, Inside Paradeplatz, Economia Digital, and other outlets.[54][55][56][57]

International media outlets have identified Item as a key source in the public investigation and reporting of the AT1 bond case.[58][59][60][61][62][63] According to Finews: “...in the heated legal battle concerning Credit Suisse's AT1 bonds, the British paper was repeatedly outpaced by the obscure ‘Antigua News’: Time and again, the news portal on the Caribbean island reported faster and was exceptionally well-informed about the negotiations.”[64]

The media outlet where Item’s articles appeared, Antigua.news, was named Best Online News Media of the Year 2023 for the Caribbean.[65][66] The award was reaffirmed in 2024.[67][68][69]

Philanthropy

In addition to his diplomatic and legal work, Dario Item has participated in philanthropic efforts, particularly in support of Antigua and Barbuda’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a member of a caucus composed of European-based diplomats involved in humanitarian and relief initiatives. Item has also collaborated with the Rotary Club of Antigua and Barbuda, contributing to various community development and charitable projects on the island.[70][71]

Nobility and honors

Item holds the noble titles of Lord and Earl of Rothes, Duke of Miraglia and Prince of St. Rosalie. He is also the current Hereditary Sheriff of Fife in Scotland.[72][73]

Honors:[73]

  • Order of Saint Michael of the Wing (Portugal) - ribbon bar.gif Knight Grand Cross – Order of Saint Michael of the Wing
  • Order of the Eagle of Georgia - Collar.png Grand Collar – Order of the Eagle of Georgia
  • Order of Merit of the Portuguese Royal House.png Grand Collar – Order of Merit of the Portuguese Royal House
  • ETH Order of Menelik II - Grand Cross BAR.png Knight Grand Cross – Order of Emperor Menelik II
  • PRT Ordem de Nossa Senhora da Conceicao de Vila Vicosa Cavaleiro ribbon.svg 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

References

  1. ↑ "UNWTO and Antigua and Barbuda share vision of tourism for growth and opportunity". www.unwto.org. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "The Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda in Spain". Antigua and Barbuda Embassy in Madrid. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  3. ↑ "Dario Item Antigua News CS UBS FINMA AT1 Court Complain". www.finews.com. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  4. ↑ "Dario Item el hombre clave de Antigua y Barbuda en Europa". www.cadizdirecto.com. 2023-01-16. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  5. ↑ "Dario Item Antigua Barbuda España Credit Suisse". www.elespanol.com. 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  6. ↑ "AT 1 Kläger platzt Kragen Klage gegen St Galler Richter". insideparadeplatz.ch. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  7. ↑ "Antigua and Barbuda ambassador Dario Item makes international scoop in Credit Suisse AT1 case". Dominica News Online. 2023-05-29. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  8. ↑ "Investigations by Antiguan diplomat led to Credit Suisse revelation". Antigua Observer. 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  9. ↑ "Dario Item el hombre clave de Antigua y Barbuda en Europa". cadizdirecto.com. 2023-01-16. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Meet the diplomat behind Antigua News's Credit Suisse scoop". www.ft.com. 2023-05-24. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  11. ↑ "UNWTO Welcomes Newest Member, Antigua and Barbuda". www.unwto.org. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  12. ↑ "Quatre nouveaux ambassadeurs à Monaco". Monaco Tribune. 2019-03-11. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  13. ↑ "Antigua y Barbuda abre por primera vez una Embajada en España". The Diplomat in Spain. 2018-07-23. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  14. ↑ "As UNWTO Representative for his island nation, Dario Item is promoting sustainable tourism for Antigua and Barbuda..." We Heart. 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  15. ↑ "Antigua and Barbuda becomes UNWTO full member". The Diplomat in Spain. 2022-01-22. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  16. ↑ "Antigua y Barbuda, un destino turístico ligado al desarrollo empresarial". ElHuffPost. 2020-10-23. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
  17. ↑ "Ambassador Dario Item on Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne Speech to the United Nations". Yahoo Finance. 2020-11-04. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
  18. ↑ "El embajador Dario Item nos presenta el boom turístico de Antigua y Barbuda". La Nueva Crónica. 2023-01-30. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
  19. ↑ "Antigua and Barbuda 2023 Budget Statement by Prime Minister Gaston Browne". embassy.ag. 2023-03-06. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  20. ↑ "Antigua & Barbuda's Foreign Affairs Minister praises Ambassador Dario Item". Dominica News Online. 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  21. ↑ "Ambassador Dario Item advocates for more Antiguan and Barbudan missions to be established abroad". Antigua Observer Newspaper. 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
  22. ↑ "BondHack on Credit Suisse scoop". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 "Ambassador Dario Item". embassy.ag. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Antigua & Barbuda's Foreign Affairs Minister Praises Ambassador Dario Item as a Game Changer". Dominica News Online. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  25. ↑ "VILLA DEI MISTERI - Treccani". Treccani (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  26. ↑ "Dario Item Profile". darioitem.com. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  27. ↑ "Antigua and Barbuda consulate opens in Monte Carlo". Antigua Observer. Archived from the original on 29 October 2022. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Foreign Affairs Minister Praises Ambassador Dario Item as a game changer" (PDF). Pointville Express. pp. 10–11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2024. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  29. ↑ "Swiss National Library – Dario Item". Swiss National Library Catalog. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  30. ↑ "Credit Suisse AT1 Bonds: Swiss Federal Administrative Court Orders FINMA to Disclose Documents to Plaintiff Investors". Antigua News. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  31. ↑ "Credit Suisse warned regulator it had no contractual basis to write down AT1 bonds". Financial Times. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  32. ↑ "Credit Suisse neared its cash limits days before rescue, filing shows". Reuters. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  33. ↑ "Credit Suisse Hit SNB's Liquidity Limits". Finews. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  34. ↑ "Darío Item: el embajador de Antigua y Barbuda que pone el foco en Credit Suisse". El Español. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  35. ↑ "Investigations by 'pizza lover' Antiguan diplomat led to major Credit Suisse revelation". Antigua Observer. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  36. ↑ "Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador Dario Item makes sensational international scoop in Credit Suisse AT1 case". Dominica News Online. 2 June 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  37. ↑ "Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador Dario Item makes sensational international scoop in Credit Suisse AT1 case". Pointville. 1 June 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  38. ↑ "CS AT1s Case: The Unspoken Things". Antigua News. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  39. ↑ "Salvataggio Credit Suisse: le cose non dette". Corriere del Ticino. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  40. ↑ "Der 16-Milliarden-Schwindel". Inside Paradeplatz. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  41. ↑ "Credit Suisse AT1 Bonds: The Missed Opportunity". Antigua News. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  42. ↑ "CSG AT1s Case: Class Action in the U.S. Against Credit Suisse, Its Officers, and PricewaterhouseCoopers". Antigua News. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  43. ↑ "Die 16-Milliarden-Frage". Weltwoche. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  44. ↑ "Class action negli USA contro ex vertici di Credit Suisse". Corriere del Ticino. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  45. ↑ "Wipe-out, Monster-Prozesse? So what: UBS lanciert frische AT-1". Inside Paradeplatz (in German). 2023-11-09. Retrieved 2025-01-03.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  46. ↑ Morcillo, Nuño Rodrigo; Palacios, Nuria (2023-11-22). "El colapso de Credit Suisse llega por primera vez a los tribunales de Estados Unidos". Cinco Días (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-01-03.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  47. ↑ "Credit Suisse AT1: FINMA asks court not to show files to plaintiffs". Antigua News. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  48. ↑ @bondhack (4 April 2024). "Bondhack on Credit Suisse AT1 Bonds". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  49. ↑ "Credit Suisse: Fresh scrutiny over AT1 wipeout". Financial Times. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  50. ↑ "Vicenda Credit Suisse: gli AT1 non danno diritto a ricorrere". Corriere del Ticino. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  51. ↑ "FINMA-AT1-Beschwerde: Leak zeigt brisante Dokumente". Finews.ch. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  52. ↑ "Finma verweigert Akteneinsicht – Angst vor Prozessflut". Tages-Anzeiger. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  53. ↑ "AT1 Case: Credit Suisse Relationship Managers Lied to Clients Too". Antigua News. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  54. ↑ "Credit Suisse's Fall and AT1 Bond Controversy". Finews. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  55. ↑ "Credit Suisse, lo scandalo AT1: il cliente frodato e la verità nascosta". Corriere del Ticino. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  56. ↑ "Ein Lügengespinst begleitete den Untergang der CS". Inside Paradeplatz. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  57. ↑ "Credit Suisse mintió: el escándalo de los bonos AT1". Economía Digital. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  58. ↑ "Swiss court weighs greater disclosure in Credit Suisse bond suit filings". Reuters. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  59. ↑ "La giustizia è troppo lenta e gli investitori la contestano davanti al Tribunale federale". Corriere del Ticino. 14 May 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  60. ↑ "AT1-Kläger platzt Kragen – Klage gegen St. Galler Richter". Inside Paradeplatz. 28 May 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  61. ↑ S. W. I. (2023-10-04). "Credit Suisse writedown: court examines release of more documents". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  62. ↑ "AT-1-Geschädigten platzt Kragen: Klage gegen St. Galler Richter". Inside Paradeplatz (in German). 2025-05-28. Retrieved 2025-06-08.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  63. ↑ "La giustizia è troppo lenta e gli investitori la contestano davanti al Tribunale federale". Corriere del Ticino (in Italian). 2025-05-30. Retrieved 2025-06-08.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  64. ↑ "A Swiss Lawyer Is Leading The Charge In The Writedown Case Of CS". finews.com. 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  65. ↑ "Antigua News Wins Best Online News Media of the Year". Antigua News. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  66. ↑ "ABGMA 2023 Winners – Media" (PDF). Soarise Music. 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  67. ↑ "ABGMA 2024 Winners – Media Awards" (PDF). Soarise Music. 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  68. ↑ "Antigua News Triumphs Again: Crowned Best Online Newspaper for the Second Consecutive Year". Antigua News. 3 December 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  69. ↑ "Dominican Journalist Shermain Bique-Charles: The Driving Force Behind Antigua News". Dominica News Online. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  70. ↑ "Dr. Dario Item, Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda, Spearheads COVID-19 Emergency Relief Operations". International Business Times. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  71. ↑ "Ambassador Dario Item Welcomed by the Executive of Rotary Club of Antigua and Barbuda". Antigua News. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  72. ↑ "The Feudal Baronies of Scotland". Debrett's. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  73. ↑ 73.0 73.1 "Burke's Peerage Record: ITEM". Burke’s Peerage. Retrieved 22 July 2025.

External links

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