It has been several weeks since the name Monte Paschi, likely the most bailed out Italian bank in history, not to mention the oldest bank in the world, graced these pages: with the Italian elections now over and BMPS' political utility as leverage against Italy's Democratic Party finished, we expected that the next time we would read, and write, about it would be the next time it would need a bailout (its fourth in the past four years) sometime in the next 3 to 6 months. Sadly, Monte Paschi is squarely back on the front page following news moments ago that David Rossi, the head of communications at the bank, committed suicide by jumping off the building.
[4]
From La Repubblica [5]:
David Rossi, head of communication of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, was killed this evening by jumping from one office to the headquarters of the institute in Rocca Salimbeni. Rossi, 51, was the longtime collaborator of the former Number 1 at Monte Paschi, Giuseppe Mussari. Rossi had been raided ten days ago in the investigation on Monte but was not investigated. On the spot, in addition to the police, it's 118, but the relief effort was useless.
Rossi was for many years a man of representation of MPS and its former president. Among his other responsibilities were marketing and communications.
While we have no knowledge of what personal, or professional, matters may have plagued the young man shown in the picture, if this terminal act of desperation is in fact related to the ongoing inquiry against the bank, then it is very likely that things in Italy are about to get very ugly very fast once more.
Some more from the Italian press:
The association with Mussari was started since 2001, when the former president of MPS and Abi was head of the Foundation, the reference shareholder with 34.9% stake in the bank, and Rossi was responsible for the communication of the institution. No left to imagine the dramatic climax, colleagues who had also contacted in recent days for the latest news on the institution of credit had responded with the same friendliness and professionalism of all time.
Rossi, married, had two children and was well known in the city.
Its commitment to the bank manager, joined also the vice president of the International Center of Art and Culture of Palazzo Te and a member of the board of directors of paint for cultural projects.
In a basket in his office investigators have found a crumpled piece of paper. Above, according to reports, it was written: 'I made ??a bullshit'.
A bullshit big enough to take one's life over, and to deprive two children of their father?