King Island Dairy Saputo owners historical Mafia connections (part 1)

Exclusive investigation

In this feral journalistic dig, Tess Lawrence gets her fingers dirty whilst sifting through the Saputo family’s historical links to the Mafia and the inexplicable code of omerta by the Australian media about such links. As is often the case with Lawrence, she takes the road less traveled. She has consulted with dozens of people, including employees of the King Island Dairy who, like many in the wider community are appalled at the quick demise of this once proud cheesemaker since its purchase by Saputo, the famous global monolith and dairy industry expert. In no way does she suggest any wrong doing whatsoever, but in the public interest, for the sake of public accountability and corporate transparency, she asserts there are legitimate questions to be asked – and answered – by the media shy Saputo and Australia’s own regulators and intelligence agencies, so we are assured that the protocols of due diligence and corporate ethics have been applied to Saputo, as with any other individual/entity seeking to invest monies as well as in this case, purchasing flagship boutique farming and manufacturing companies and co-operatives. (Ed)

King Island Dairy on Death Row

The secretive Italian-Canadian Saputo family who own the King Island Dairy that some fear is languishing on corporate death row, has historical links with the Mafia.

The dairy is equivalent to the Koh-i-Noor when it comes to the crown jewels of King Island. Rightly so, as the millions of us who satiate our lust for their incomparable cheeses can attest.

King Island, known as Erobin, in palawa kani language and blessed with a borderline mediterranean climate, is still reeling from the brutal announcement by Saputo last year that it would put the world famous King Island Dairy to death in the middle of this year, about the same time that Saputo patriarch and one time documented Mafia contact, Emanuele (Lino) Saputo will celebrate his 88th birthday, easily fitting the candles on the finest cheesecake that money can’t buy.

• Emanuele (Lino) Saputo, billionaire and patriarch of the Saputo family dynasty. Source: Ordre de Montreal. Lino Saputo was inducted into the Academy of Great Montrealers in the Economic category in 2012 and was named a Commander of the Ordre de Montréal in 2016.

Lino Saputo Once Canada’s Richest Man

At one stage Lino Saputo was touted as Canada’s richest man. Then he slid down to be included in the top ten. Last year, Maclean’s listed the Saputo family as 18th on the rich list wth an estimated fortune of $7.59 billion. That’s a lot of cheese.

Saputo Family Sicilian Origins
Nonno Giuseppe Master Formaggiato

The Saputo family’s reputation as artisan cheesemakers was established at the get go, well before they left their Sicilian home in Montelepre to seek their fortune in Canada in the 1950s, eventually settling in Montreal.

Lino’s father, Giuseppe was a master formaggiaio. It was his formidable and passionate talent for cheesemaking that turned a dime into a dollar, into a billion dollars many times over.

• Giuseppe Saputo flanked by his two sons Franco and Lino in 1954. Source, the now defunct Corriere Italiano.

Writing in the Canadian Encyclopaedia, historian Jonathan McQuarrie documents a helpful pocket history of Lino Saputo and his family’s background.

Careful mention is made of business connections with ruthless mobster Joe Bonanno, known as the New York based Mafia’s “Boss of Bosses” and the “Godfather” who is said to have inspired Marlon Brando’s mesmerising performance in the blockbuster of the same name, that earned the filmmakers a violin case full of awards and continues to spawn merch and games.

• Marlon Brando is said to have modelled his role as the Godfather on the real Godfather – Joseph (Joe) Bonanno, aka Joe Bananas, proven to have once had professional and familial links to Lino Saputo senior and other Saputa family members.

Bonanno’s own name and his “boys” were invariably colourful courtroom mainstays.

From McQuarrie’s report:

“In 1964, Lino sought to convince his father to expand and modernize the company operations, particularly after touring the Grande Cheese Co. of Wisconsin, owned by a Sicilian American, Giovanni (John) DiBella. DiBella initially agreed to personally invest in Saputo’s operations, but then connected the Saputo family to Joseph Bonanno, a New York-based mobster. Bonanno agreed to invest $8,000 in exchange for a 20 per cent stake in the firm. The Saputo family was reportedly unaware Bonanno was a Mafia boss until reading about it in local newspapers. Though they expressed shock about Bonanno’s criminal ties and immediately broke off the deal, the Saputo family would occasionally struggle with allegations of Mafia connections. These allegations formed part of the context of a raid on the company’s factory by Montréal police in 1972, eventually leading to a total of $350 in fines for health violations – but no proven connections. Nonetheless, the rumours may have been a factor in the Ontario Milk Commission’s decision to reject the company’s effort to open an Ontario cheese factory in 1976.”

To be continued… (link to Part 2) 

Also by Tess Lawrence: First Man, Elon Musk: USA’s first same-sex presidency

© Tess Lawrence

Tess Lawrence is Contributing editor-at-large for Independent Australia and her most recent article is The night Porter and allegation of rape.

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