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- [00:00]
A
Hey, Scamfluencers fans, Sarah here.
- [00:03]
B
If you love the drama Deception and Mind Blowing reveals, Wondery is your VIP ticket to more ad free episodes, early access to the juiciest scandals and deep dives you won't find anywhere else.
- [00:15]
A
Get the full Scamfluencers experience. Sign up today.
- [00:25]
C
Sarah, are you a restaurant person? Like, when you visit New York, do you try to eat at all the trendy places in the city?
- [00:33]
A
You know what? I feel very overwhelmed by trendiness in general. So I feel like I kind of just go where people tell me to. But I do like a great meal.
- [00:44]
C
Okay, well, what do you know about Cipriani?
- [00:48]
A
I know it by name. I know it's like kind of a fancy, tacky place for the rich and famous. Am I correct?
- [00:57]
C
Yeah, I don't think that's wrong. Well, Sarah, you're super lucky because today we actually have a table at Cipriani, the best one in the house, and it's all on me. So pour yourself a $27 glass of red wine and tuck into your Chilean sea bass while I tell you the real history of this international restaurant dynasty. It's August 1987, and Giuseppe Cipriani is nervously pacing his Manhattan apartment, phone in hand. Giuseppe is a dashing 22 year old and the manager of Harry Cipriani, the acclaimed New York City restaurant. He's urgently trying to reach his father and co manager, Arrigo. The Ciprianis aren't just any restaurateurs. Giuseppe's grandfather founded the legendary Italian watering hole Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy. Harry's has become a cultural institution where history, literature, art and Venetian cuisine all come together. And for more than 50 years, it's been a favorite destination for elites and intellectuals from all around the world. The family opened their second restaurant, Harry Cipriani, two years ago as an almost exact replica of the Venetian original. It was an immediate hit and it allowed the Ciprianis to bring their family legacy across the Atlantic. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of a Lux hotel on Fifth Avenue overlooking Central Park. But not for long, because today Giuseppe is calling his father to tell him that they've just been kicked out as managers. As Giuseppe is explaining everything to his dad, a truck pulls up outside of the Fifth Avenue hotspot. Men in suits get out. They've been sent by the restaurant's investors. They quickly line up to block the back office, telephones, the elevators, the kitchen and the doors. Confused staffers call Giuseppe and tell him to get down here. Stat. When Giuseppe finally arrives at the restaurant, he's surprised to find men obstructing the entrance. A shoving match ensues, and the men prevent him from entering. New York Magazine later calls this quote, first hostile takeover of a kitchen in the annals of cuisine.
- [03:09]
A
You know, you gotta wonder how that ends up happening with a restaurant. It's not that serious.
- [03:16]
C
Yeah, like, it's not war. They're so serious in food.
- [03:20]
A
It's a restaurant.
- [03:21]
C
Relax. While inside, the men seize credit card machines and box up menus. The eponymous Harry Cipriani sign is acid washed from the front door and replaced with a new Tino Fontana. But this blow to the Ciprianis won't keep them down for long. In fact, they're more inspired than ever to show that they are the name for exclusive fine dining in New York City and the world. The Ciprianis have built their legacy on charm, spectacle, and confidence. The kind that can make almost anything seem possible. But as their empire grows, that same mix of glamour and audacity will lead them into a world of lawsuits, tax schemes, and a high profile showdown over the famed Rainbow Room that no amount of fine dining can disguise.
- [04:12]
B
You seem different lately, Sachi. Maybe a little bit more confident.
- [04:16]
C
Oh my God. Thanks, Sarah. I've actually been taking Masterclass and I've been watching the Shonda Rhimes one and I feel like it's making me want to be a mogul.
- [04:27]
A
I think I could do it. I feel like I know so many people who would love this.
- [04:32]
C
Yeah, you need to get it for them. It could change their lives. With unlimited access to over 200 classes taught by the world's best business leaders, writers, chefs and more, you can learn from the best. To become your best headed on a trip this season, download classes and watch them offline. Perfect for making the most of time spent traveling. Masterclass always has great offers during the holidays, sometimes up to as much as 50% off. Head over to masterclass.com scampod for the current offer. That's up to 50% off at masterclass.com scampod masterclass.com scampod the holidays are stressful.
- [05:11]
D
Between travel, gifts, hosting, entertaining, it's easy to lose sight of your money and financial responsibility and pretty easy to blow through your holiday budget. If you want to keep your finances under control this holiday season, you need to be using Monarch, rated Wall Street Journal's best budgeting app of 2025. Monarch is the all in one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean interface on your laptop or on your phone. And right now, just for our listeners, Monarch is offering 50% off your first year. Don't let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use code scampodonarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first year. @monarch.com with code scampod.
- [06:03]
C
From Wondery. I'm Sachi Cole.
- [06:05]
A
And I'm Sarah Haggie.
- [06:06]
C
And this is Scamfluencers.
- [06:09]
A
Come and give me your attention. I won't ever learn my lesson. Turn my speakers to 11. I feel like a legend.
- [06:17]
C
For nearly a century, the Cipriani family has served celebrities, royalty and cultural icons. It all began in 1931 with Harry's Bar in Venice, where Giuseppe Sr. Revolutionized fine dining and invented classics we still eat today. By the 2000s, the Cipriani name was splashed across restaurants, private clubs and even hotels from Italy to New York to Dubai. But in their quest to expand, Giuseppe's descendants discover that in New York City, charm and legacy only get you so far. The Cipriani name will go from associations with hobnobbing elites to union busting, tax evasion and working with the mob. There's no lengths the family won't go, because after all, they know it's all in the name. This is the Cipriani family. Bribes and Bellinis before we dive into the Cipriani family scandals, we need to go back to the 20th century, to the man who started it all. Giuseppe Sr. Was born in Verona, Italy, in 1900. To pull the family out of poverty, his father moved his wife and eight children to Germany. When Giuseppe was a toddler, his father worked as a bricklayer while his mother opened their rented home to boarders. She'd offer a room plus something extra, a liter of beer for each day they stayed. Giuseppe and his siblings learned a lot from their mother's hospitality. She struck a delicate balance between being a kind host and not letting herself be pushed around. Giuseppe's family can't afford to send him to secondary school. So when he's 12 years old, he takes a job in a watch factory, where he develops a love of precision and order. Two years later, in 1914, the First World War begins, so he and his family return to Verona. Thanks to the war, adult men have left the workforce to fight. So even though he's only 14 years old, Giuseppe easily finds a job as a pastry chef. He applies the same precision he learned at the watch factory to make thousands of pastries a day. He falls in Love with making people happy and seeing customers enjoy his work. It reminds him of the way his mother took care of their borders in Germany. And he's determined to chase this feeling forever. By 18, Giuseppe is traveling across Italy and France, working in hotels and learning everything he can about hospitality and kitchens. Over the next eight years, one lesson becomes clear. To take care of the customer first and foremost. In his eyes, it's less about impressing the clientele and more about genuinely loving them. When Giuseppe is 26, he marries a woman named Giulietta, who he met while waiting tables. They settle in Venice, and Harry tends bar at the Hotel Europa, where he's rarely without his white suit jacket and black tie. Sarah, take a look at this picture of Giuseppe in his happy place behind the bar.
- [09:08]
A
So this is the black and white photo of him behind a bar. There's like the old school seltzery thing in front of him. And he looks happy, you know, he's wearing his white coat, black tie.
- [09:18]
C
He looks like he's happy to serve medicine man, you know. Well, three years later, in the summer of 1929, Giuseppe meets someone who completely changes his life. Harry Pickering, a wealthy young scion from Boston. Harry's a regular at Giuseppe's bar, even though he came to Italy to treat his alcoholism. Over the next two months, Giuseppe and Harry strike up a friendship. But one day, Giuseppe notices that Harry isn't drinking as much. When he asks why, Harry tells him he had a fight with his aunt who he'd been traveling with. She left him stranded in Italy with very little money. Giuseppe offers to help. So Harry tells him what he money to pay for his hotel, his ship, ride home, his tab, and one last dry martini. So Giuseppe gives him 10,000 lira, nearly five grand in today's money. It's a big sum for a bartender, but Giuseppe's all about hospitality, and he trusts Harry will return the favor someday.
- [10:19]
A
I really believe that if you're lending someone money, you have to go into that knowing that you might not ever get it back.
- [10:26]
C
Yeah.
- [10:27]
A
And I do feel like Giuseppe is never going to get this back.
- [10:30]
C
Okay. Well, Sarah, surprisingly, their handshake agreement pays off. Two years later, Harry returns to Venice on a cold February morning. He repays the loan plus an additional 40,000 lira. And he's got an idea for what to do with the extra cash. He and Giuseppe should open a bar together. Terry's bar opens on May 13, 1931. It's the beginning of what will become a future hospitality empire. And it marks the last Time success in the Cipriani family will ever feel simple. In the fall of 1950, one of Giuseppe's favorite customers enters Harry's for lunch. The Venetian Countess Amalia Nani Mossenigo. She floats to her table in a high neck black dress with her hair pinned up in a bunch of. Amalia waves Giuseppe over and tells him that her doctors have placed her on a strict diet. For the next few weeks she can't eat cooked meat. She asks if he can dream up a meal that fits her new diet and is delicious. He marches into the kitchen and 15 minutes later, Amalia and the world are introduced to beef carpaccio.
- [11:40]
A
It is really crazy to think about beef carpaccio being introduced to the world because I feel like it's just one of those things that has always been around, especially now. I don't think you can go to like a nice restaurant without seeing a carpaccio on the menu.
- [11:55]
C
I know, especially a New York restaurant, right?
- [11:57]
A
Yeah.
- [11:58]
C
Well, Giuseppe named the dish after the Venetian artist Vittore Carpaccio. Apparently he was inspired by the painter's use of vibrant reds and whites. The dish consists of paper thin slices of raw filet mignon drizzled with a lemony mayonnaise based sauce. But that's not Giuseppe's only culinary creation. He also created a popular brunch cocktail, the Bellini. Sarah, have you ever had a Bellini?
- [12:24]
A
You know, I don't drink. When would I have had a Bellini?
- [12:27]
C
But even a. Not even a non alcoholic Bellini. Have you ever had one?
- [12:30]
A
You know what, I worked at Bath and Body Works and there was a Bellini candle that, you know, I just, I can't really smell Bellini anymore, you know?
- [12:41]
C
Yeah, I mean, that's basically what it's like to drink one. A Bellini is a sweet fizzy drink made with prosecco and white peach puree. Giuseppe came up with the drink in 1948 after being inspired by another Venetian painter, Giovanni Bellini. Harry's bar was an immediate success and in 1932, Giuseppe and Giulietta welcomed a son named Arico, or Harry. In English, life is pretty sweet until World War II begins when Germans occupy Venice. Harry's bar is briefly taken over by fascists and used as a mess hall for Mussolini's navy. After the war, the bar becomes a meeting spot for the rich and famous. International luminaries are amongst the bar's Orson Welles, Truman Capote and Maria Callas. And most notably Ernest Hemingway, who spends many evenings at his little corner table filling pages of his notebooks. Harry's Bar is actually written into one of his novels. Sarah, can you read this excerpt from across the river and into the Trees?
- [13:42]
A
Yes. It says, contessa is not at home, my Colonel, he said they believe you might find her at Harry's. You find everything on earth at Harry's? Yes, my Colonel, except possibly happiness. I'll damn well find happiness too. The Colonel assured him. Happiness, as you know, is a moveable feast. It's kind of exciting thinking about this, like if I was around at this time, because clearly these are, you know, world famous people, very influential, but, you know, these people just have no idea how much longer this will stay in history.
- [14:15]
C
Yeah, it's just a bar.
- [14:17]
A
Yeah, it's just a bar. And now it's in a book and we're talking about it how many years.
- [14:21]
C
Later on our podcast on our digital radio product?
- [14:25]
A
It's full circle moment for Hemingway, really.
- [14:29]
C
Well, in 1957, nearly 30 years after Harry's Bar opened, Giuseppe decides to retire. He hands the family business to his son, Arrigo. Arrigo is now 25 years old, with a receding hairline and a penchant for double breasted suits. Giuseppe is pleasantly surprised to see that his son is a natural manager. Every night, Arrigo calls his father to give him a progress report, assuring him that Harry's is thriving just as he left it. One of the regulars at the bar during this time is Rupert Guinness, a British aristocrat and the head of the Guinness beer family. Rupert's a big investor, so that winter, when he hears Giuseppe talking about his dream of building a hotel on a piece of land he purchased on the island of Giudecca, he decides to help. The Hotel Cipriani opens in 1958 and it embodies the same luxury and simple comforts Giuseppe is known for. This sparks a years long business partnership between the two men and another hotel. In 1962, Rupert opens the hotel Villa Cipriani in Asolo, Italy and hires Giuseppe to manage it. But when Rupert dies five years later, so does the gentleman's agreement he had with Giuseppe. Despite their nine year partnership, the Guinness heirs renege on their father's handshake deal by blocking any monetary split of the joint ventures. It's a crushing blow to Giuseppe. Because he didn't put up any money to open the hotels, he's forced to sell his shares.
- [15:55]
A
That must be so disappointing where like, things are just going so well for you and you think, of course this will always work. It's working for everyone, the Guinness family is one of their word. And then for it to just fall through is terrible. Really?
- [16:11]
C
Yeah, it's pretty devastating. Well, Giuseppe dies in 1980 at 80 years old. And five years later, the Ciprianis get an unhappy, unexpected a chance to open a restaurant in New York City. The New York dining scene is notoriously high risk. But beautiful diamonds are formed under intense pressure. And the Ciprianis are ready to sparkle. It's May 1985. In Venice. Arrigo, now 53 years old, is sitting in his home office overlooking the Adriatic Sea. His days are packed with running Harry's Bar and raising his son Giuseppe Jr. Who we will call Junior for the rest of the story. Unlike his enterprising father, Arrigo tends to go with the flow. Until a phone call changes everything. On the line is Lord Charles Forte, the owner of Trust House Forte, a British hotel and catering group. Charles is 77 years old with a graying mustache. He's an Italian hotelier and a restaurateur based in London. And he has a proposition for Arrigo. Would the Ciprianis like to join him? As he expands his company to the US Charles pitches his idea. A Harry's Bar style restaurant in the lobby of a swanky Fifth Avenue hotel. Trust House Forte is trying to take over management of the hotel. And they think the illustrious hairy name could help seal the deal. Charles flies Arrigo to New York to see the space. And when Arrigo lays eyes on the location near Central park, he's sold. It's exactly what his father would have wanted. Plans are drawn up to recreate Harry's in New York. But Arriga refuses to call it Harry's Bar. He wants to name it the Copy. It's a wink to the restaurants that borrowed the Cipriani name but can't recreate its magic. After some back and forth, they finally agree on Harry Cipriani. And when it opens that November, it's an instant hit. Just like Harry's Bar, Harry Cipriani becomes a magnet for celebrities. And so socialites. Once things are running smoothly, Arrigo returns to Harry's in Venice, leaving the now 20 year old Junior behind to run their American restaurant. I'm sure this 20 year old will be able to run this restaurant.
- [18:19]
A
That is a crazy responsibility. A 20 year old, even a super mature one, who's grown up in the industry and knows all the stories and everything. That is a huge, huge risk. Especially considering what has happened to the family with bad business deals.
- [18:35]
C
He's not even old enough to drink in New York. Yeah, but this was the past. You're right. Nobody was checking.
- [18:42]
A
No one was checking.
- [18:43]
C
Well, as the Cipriani name gains more traction, Arrigo and Junior are constantly fielding proposals to open another New York location. But out of loyalty, Arrigo declines them. He wants to keep working with Charles. So Arrigo expects Charles to be thrilled when he approaches him with the idea for a new restaurant. This one inspired by his father's iconic creation, the Bellini. But, Sara, this is where the peachy prosecco gets sticky. The Fortes decide not to join Arrigo in opening Bellini. So Arrigo does something his father never he opens the restaurant on his own. When the Fortes find out, they accuse Arrigo of breaching their informal business agreement by opening Bellini without their consent. It turns out the Fortes have been frustrated with Arrigo for some time. Despite the buzzy crowds, Harry Cipriani isn't profitable, partly due to Arrigo's hefty management fee of $450,000. So in August of 1987, they decide to remove Arrigo and Junior from Harry's. This is the moment where we met Junior at the beginning of the story. The Ciprianis can only watch as the rebranded Tino Fontana restaurant takes over their space. But losing a restaurant is only the beginning for the Ciprianis. Bigger battles are looming. And this time, the fight won't be with angry investors. It'll be with someone far scarier, a New York Times food critic. It's a September afternoon in 1987, and Brian Miller is strolling into Bellini's for lunch along with two of his colleagues. Brian is in his 30s, with well groomed hair and tortoiseshell glasses. He's the restaurant critic for the New York Times. On their way to the table, Junior intercepts them and declares, the cooks will not cook for you. Last year, Brian wrote a review of Harry Cipriani. He gave the restaurant 0 stars and called the food fair. The ratings stung, but it was the review itself that really angered the family. Sarah, can you read what Brian wrote?
- [20:43]
A
With delight. I love a good pan, he writes.
- [20:47]
B
Ernest Hemingway might feel ill at ease.
- [20:49]
A
If he were to wander into the New York clone of his beloved Harry's bar in Venice. Harry Cipriani benefits from the hot dogs taste better at the ballpark syndrome in a less electrified setting. I suspect some of the mundane dishes here might not elicit such smiles from patrons. This is not the Harry's bar of literary fame. Ooh, that is so cutting. Especially if you open a restaurant and your entire legacy is hospitality and food. It's like, this is not it. It doesn't have the charm. This sucks.
- [21:24]
C
Yeah, it's pretty brutal. But the Cipriani seemed to have learned one lesson from the Forte's. Fight fire with fire. So Arrigo retaliated by buying ad space in the Times and publishing an open letter titled Dear Food Editor. It was clearly aimed at Brian, and the ad ripped into him and ended with quote, I do hope that you will postpone writing about my restaurant for a long time. Bryan eventually responded, but not with a review. He got the scoop on the Ciprianis being kicked out of the restaurant and shared the dirty details on the front page of the New York Times.
- [22:01]
A
You really gotta hand it to Brian. I mean, what more could he say other than these people got kicked out of their own freaking restaurant?
- [22:08]
C
That's journalism, baby. Even though Brian has been denied service at Bellini, he's not deterred. Over the next three weeks, he returns to Bellini twice in disguise, and we don't know what he wore, but he manages to sample nearly 30 different dishes, and he is not impressed. Sarah, are you ready to read another pan?
- [22:29]
A
Oh, yes. Ryan writes that at Bellini, the pricey cafe food ranges from the dismal to the acceptable services. Boorish and slapdash, Bellini has all the charm of a family restaurant in a shopping mall. And then he goes on to add that one of the house specials should be served with a television set, for it is a dead ringer for a TV dinner. Overcooked noodles and a lava like gratinade cheese sauce. I mean, it's crazy because this is teal, as old as time. How many quote unquote Italian restaurants are there that try and trade off the old world vibe for kind of crappy food that does taste like microwaved dinner?
- [23:10]
C
Yeah, seen it a thousand times. Well, after other food critics panned the restaurant, Arrigo revamps the menu and Service. And in September 1990, Brian checks out Bellini again. And he's pleasantly surprised to find that the food and service have improved. Although, he notes, it's still a pricey dining experience. While Arrigo may have reached a detente with New York City's most savage critic, a new challenge is already waiting for him, bringing his original New York restaurant back from the brink. It's 1990, and Arrigo is speaking with the investors who once ousted him. They have a desperate plea. Will he come back and reopen Harry Cipriani. After they kicked Arrigo and Junior out, the investors installed a new manager for the bargain price of $100,000. But the new restaurant was never able to match Harry Cipriani's dazzle or profits. Guests were confused by the changes, with designer Diane von Furstenberg complaining about her risotto, saying the rice isn't the same. Other guests felt similarly. According to Arrigo, Tino Fontana was doing only 15 covers a day, while Harry's had previously been doing 300. Arrigo is a truly petty king. So when he gets the call from the investors, he declines the offer. But Junior, who's now a hot headed 25 year old, won't let him. He tells his father, quote, if you don't go back, I'm going to kill you.
- [24:37]
A
I feel like Arrigo really comes from a place of pride and heritage and defending his family name, while Junior is kind of like, we're in business. Just get this done. Like, we can't think about that anymore.
- [24:50]
C
Yeah. And Junior is starting to take more and more control. After Harry Cipriani reopens in 1991, Junior urges Arrigo to be more aggressive. He often tells his dad, quote, our strength is our name. And he says that if they want to grow, they need to start forcing people to play by their rules. While Arrigo remains focused on the food and hospitality, his son chases celebrity determined to fill the restaurant with glitterati. Jr. S fixation with celebrity propels him to become a social icon. A critic told the New York Post, quote, they were star fuckers. And when anyone with star power came to the door, everybody fell to their knees. But even with celebrity regulars, Junior becomes the real star of the show. And his obsession with the spotlight will soon teach him that Bellinis and Buzz can't protect you when the law catches up.
- [25:47]
D
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- [26:57]
B
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- [28:11]
A
I feel like.
- [28:15]
C
It'S spring in 1996 and 31 year old Giuseppe Jr. Is ready to make his mark on New York City. The recently opened Cipriani downtown is the third family eatery in the city and it's his Junior put his personal spin on it. It's more casual, more youthful. It showcases abstract art by Brooklyn artists while still serving Harry's Bar classics. And once again it's a hit. Over the past decade, Junior got married and had two sons. But the marriage didn't last because Junior can't slow down. He even took time off from the restaurants to race Formula 3000 cars. But he didn't see a future in the world of fire resistant suits and motor oil. So he returned to the family business. When he's 34 years old, Junior becomes the head of Cipriani International. But he still wants more. He impulsively buys 55 Wall street in New York's financial district. Its grand banquet setting inspires him to open another restaurant with a 140 room Cipriani hotel upstairs. Arrigo warns him that this might be too much too fast, but Junior's Confident that he can make it work.
- [29:24]
A
I just feel like people are so risky when it comes to business, and I feel like I have no idea if it'll work out or not. Probably will, knowing how lucky these people get.
- [29:33]
C
Well, at first, Junior is right. Big names pack the new property, and before long, it's another smash hit for the Cipriani empire. With money pouring in, Junior sees endless opportunities for his family name. But to feed his ambition, he decides to start doing business a little differently. This is where the Cipriani lore gets a little tricky. In the late 90s, Arrigo established Cipriani SA, an Italian hotel and leisure company based in Luxembourg. The company owns and operates restaurants and clubs around the world, including Harry's Bar in Venice. But most importantly, it controls the rights to the Cipriani name and their trademarked properties. In the U.S. however, there's a separate Cipriani brand, Cipriani USA. It's a subsidiary of Cipriani SA run by Junior. The company pays a percentage of its sales to the parent company for the right to use the Cipriani name. But somehow the reported payments are never actually made. So Cipriani USA's income is higher than it reports on its tax returns. With this tax dodge and the Cipriani brand growing in popularity, Junior is ready to expand again. And then opportunity comes calling. A chance to take over a legendary midtown landmark called the Rainbow Room. Junior is about to chase the Rainbow hard, but this dream gig will quickly become a nightmare. It's just before Christmas 1998, and Peter Ward is fielding calls at the Local 6 Union Hall. Peter's 40 years old, clean cut and handsome, with a cleft chin. He's the business manager of the union, which represents workers in the hospitality and service industries. His phone has been blowing up all morning with calls from former union employees of the Rainbow Room. 250 of them have been fired by the club's new management. Junior. The labor war started a few weeks ago when Junior took over the venue, located on the 65th floor of Rockefeller Center. The building's owners were excited for the Cipriani name to bring some much needed buzz to the venerable Rainbow Room. Junior reimagined the space and made it more exclusive. While the Rainbow Room used to be open to the public, it's now only accessible three days out of the month. The rest of the time, it operates as a private club. Real estate developers wonder how Junior will afford the $3 million a year lease, but he's confident he'll succeed. He'll just to refer Replace the Local six union workers with non union employees. By his estimates, a union contract will eat up half of his revenue and strangle his business. At the Local 6, Peter makes a plan to take on the Ciprianis. Sarah, can you read what he said in January 1999?
- [32:16]
A
Yeah. He says we'll have a picket line in front of the rainbow room for 100 years if that's what it takes. Oh, okay, so this is like full on war at this point.
- [32:28]
C
Yeah, it's union busting. It's gross. Well, Junior's reputation takes a hit and he is hemorrhaging money. So he offers a deal. He'll sign a union contract at the Rainbow Room if the union agrees to slash the wages and benefits at Harry Cipriani in half. Peter's response? A big fat no. Frustrated, Junior makes a deal with the Local 810 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. They're suspected of taking bribes in return for sweetheart contracts. If he signs with them, he thinks he can force the Local 6 union to stop picketing his restaurants. But Peter doesn't back down. And out of solidarity, union compliant companies like General Motors and HBO cancel their events at Cipriani restaurants. These cancellations cost Junior tens of thousands of dollars. And in May 1999, the Cipriani sued the union and Frank file for bankruptcy protection. Even with the bad press, the picket lines and The Union Fury, Jr. Manages to keep the Rainbow Room, Harry Cipriani and the catering hall on 42nd street open. But his celebrity patrons are starting to take notice. Regulars like Paul Newman, JFK Jr. Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese refuse to cross the lines. Julia Roberts, however, waltzes right along through. And now that the union has come between Junior and his celebrity pals, well, that's a bridge too far.
- [33:52]
A
Yeah, once something becomes public that way, it can kind of tarnish someone's name as being a union buster. And crossing a picket line, it's like that is, you know, the line a lot of people just can't cross.
- [34:04]
C
Yeah.
- [34:05]
A
When it's just so obvious and public that way.
- [34:08]
C
Yeah, I can't get away with it. While in mid August, the Ciprianis abruptly dismiss their labor lawyers and start meaningful negotiations with the restaurant workers union. By the end of the month, Junior tentatively approves a six year contract with the Local 6 union. The labor war may be ending, but the Cipriani's reputation has taken a serious hit. And they're about to learn just how many scandals it takes before an empire starts to crack. It's 2002 and Junior's in the backseat of a private car on his way to his newest restaurant, opening the Cipriani Dolce at Grand Central. By 2004, the Ciprianis have nine locations across New York, Europe and Asia. But his ambitions are still growing. So he turns his attention to luxury real estate. His battle with the union seems to have soured. Junior on the everyman. He's now focused on catering to and working with the uber wealthy. He buys out his partner at 55 Wall street where there's already a Cipriani restaurant and hotel. He converts the hotel rooms into condominiums and calls them the Cipriani Club Residences. Then he decides to go after Pier 57, a prime stretch of waterfront real estate on the Hudson river. After an intense 18 month battle with rival developers, Junior wins a bid to redevelop the pier in 2005. But a rival investor named Roland Betts isn't happy about Junior's winning bid. Roland's the guy behind Chelsea Pierce. He's a major player in New York with ties to George W. Bush and other powerful politicians. It's not clear if Rowland had a hand in what happened next. But a few months after Junior wins the bid, skeletons from his past suddenly come to light. Remember the union protests back in 1999? Well, to help fight them off, Junior turned to a Mafia turncoat named Michael D. Leonardo. In his 2004 testimony against the Gambino crime family, Michael admits that Junior, quote, wanted to know if they could keep the unions off his back. With mounting bad press, Junior starts feeling the pressure. So he withdraws his bid for Pier 57. But this retreat only creates more problems for him and his family. And it's only a matter of time before his name comes up in a second Mob trial. It's November 2005, and Robert Morgenthau is sitting in his office in lower Manhattan. At 86 years old, with thinning white hair and over four decades of public service, the city's District Attorney has seen it all. But the letter on his desk still catches his attention. It's anonymous and it accuses the Cipriani family of running a massive tax evasion scheme. Robert's already familiar with the Cipriani name. Six years ago, his boss, the New York State's Attorney General, brought charges against them for sex based discrimination. But this letter paints a more serious picture, alleging that since the late 90s, the Ciprianis have been underreporting earnings and dodging millions of dollars in tax payments.
- [37:10]
A
I mean, it's crazy when they think their biggest problems are celebrities and who gets into the restaurant how much money they're making. Meanwhile, doing some crazy tax dodging.
- [37:23]
C
I know. And By July of 2007, Robert has enough evidence to go after Junior and Arrigo. On the morning of the arraignment, the two men step outside the courthouse and smile for the paparazzi. After nearly a century of hosting the world elites, the Ciprianis have now become the headline. And this time charm and champagne won't be enough to get them off the hook.
- [37:51]
B
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- [38:36]
C
Is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services a secured Chime Visa credit card and MyPay line of credit provided by the Bancor Bank NA or Stride Bank NA. MyPay eligibility requirements apply and credit limit ranges $20 to $500. Optional services and products may have fees or charges. See chime.com feesinfo advertised annual percentage yield with Chime+ status only. Otherwise, 1 point percent APY applies. No min balance required. Chime card on time Payment history may have a positive impact on your credit score. Results may vary. See chime.com for details and applicable terms. The wait is over. Dive into Audible's most anticipated collection, the Best of 2025. Featuring top audiobooks, podcasts, and originals across all genres, our editors have carefully curated this year's must listens. From brilliant hidden gems to the buzziest new releases, every title in this collection has earned its spot. This is your go to for the absolute best in 2025 audio entertainment. Whether you love thrillers, romance or your next favorite, listen awaits. Discover why there's more to imagine when you listen@Audible.com BestOfTheYear.
- [39:38]
A
I Feel Like a.
- [39:39]
C
Legend In July 2007, Arrigo and Junior are officially charged with tax evasion. They stand accused of hiding $3.5 million in state and city taxes over a period of six years beginning in 1998. While Junior has been charged with a misdemeanor, Arrigo is facing a felony tax charge because his company, Cipriani SA was the head of the scheme. Arrigo is now 75 years old, and he and Junior both plead guilty to avoid jail time. They take a plea deal and agree to pay $10 million in restitution and penalties. In addition to the fine, Arrigo is sentenced to conditional discharge for three years, which means he's free to return home to Italy. Junior gets sentenced to three years probation and also leaves New York. But as a condition of the plea deal, Robert gives the men a big win. He allows them to keep their liquor licenses.
- [40:35]
A
Well, this is really not that bad. And it's especially not bad because if they lost their liquor licenses, they just couldn't exist at all as restaurants. Like that is the most important thing for them, right?
- [40:48]
C
Yeah, that's true. But even though they will be able to keep the empire they've built, reports are beginning to surface about vendors and contractors suing for unpaid bills. Arrigo says they've been told that if they returned to America, they would be locked up. So Arrigo stays in Venice, while Junior eventually moves to Uruguay. He tells Vanity Fair he's living abroad so he can expand their customer base in new countries. But maybe it's because Uruguay imposes no wealth or inheritance taxes. The Cipriani seem to have dodged a bullet. Even though they're now officially felons, their New York restaurants are all still running and pulling in a profit. But that changes in 2008. When the economic crisis hits the city. New Yorkers start cutting fine dining out of their budgets. And even though they were allowed to keep their liquor licenses, they're about to face a fight on that front, too. A Cipriani restaurant is nothing without a Bellini. And after all their losses, this one threatens to hit the hardest. In May of 2008, Daniel Boyle is preparing to confiscate some liquor licenses. He's the chairman of the New York State Liquor Authority, and today he's targeting all of the Cipriani properties in New York. Daniel is a former police chief and a rough talking stickler for the rules. Felons are barred from holding New York State liquor licenses. So even though the Manhattan DA Said it was okay, Daniel doesn't think the Cipriani should get special treatment. So he launches an investigation to determine if the Cipriani conviction proves they lack the Moral character needed for a license.
- [42:22]
A
You know, I do feel like they were probably given that exemption because it would be beneficial for the Manhattan DA somehow. But I feel like this new guy is kind of like, I don't care. I'm gonna get them. Finally, like, no more exemptions or like, special circumstances, right?
- [42:37]
C
Yeah, exactly. And as Daniel moves to strip all nine Cipriani liquor licenses, he's approached by top aide to New York Governor David Patterson. The aide tries to intimidate him into accepting a half a million dollar settlement in lieu of yanking the licenses. It just so happens the Ciprianis are close friends with Governor Patterson. Weird coincidence, right? Daniel refuses, but he's outvoted by fellow liquor board members in favor of the Ciprianis. In the end, the Ciprianis pay the settlement fee and retain their licenses. But a few months later, the Ciprianis are finally dealt a blow that they can't buy their way out of. In January 2009, they lose their lease on the Rainbow Room for failing to pay millions in rent. And they have to be out in a matter of days. Turns out exclusivity isn't always the answer. Once Junior barred the public from visiting in favor of making the space more elite, it was no longer the high end tourist attraction it had been for more than 90 years.
- [43:39]
A
Yeah, I mean, it's hard sometimes for businesses to be like, we're exclusive, but also we need to make money and have a lot of different kinds of people show up. And I see how, you know, by 2009, with all this controversy and everything going on with them, people are just kind of like, I don't really care. Yeah.
- [43:56]
C
If Junior had just stuck to what the Ciprianis were known for, maybe things would have turned out differently. But his ambitious plans and obsession with wealth and celebrity betrayed the legacy. His grandfather built a simple Venetian bar where everybody could feel like a somebody. Despite the behind the scenes drama and legal trouble, the Cipriani name is still booming. Most customers either don't know or don't seem to care about their past scandals. So while Arrigo is living out his golden years in Italy, his grandsons continue to carry on the family's legacy. In 2021, one of them opened Casa Cipriani, a select members only club and hotel in lower Manhattan. Membership costs a cool four grand a year. According to the New York Post, it's one of Taylor Swift's favorite places to eat. As of 2025, Junior is still living in Uruguay. He's quadrupled down on real estate for the super wealthy, developing luxury condos in West Palm and Miami, clubs in Madrid and Tokyo, and restaurants in Dubai. He's currently in the midst of building Uruguay's most sophisticated resort development, which will, of course, bear the Cipriani name above all else. He's dedicated his career to making sure the rich and famous have spaces to mingle away from the common people. The Cipriani name may have endured, but nothing is as powerful as exclusivity. Sarah, did this make you want to go have some beef carpaccio with a Bellini, perhaps at a restaurant where you are seen to be seen?
- [45:29]
A
I would want nothing more. It is really crazy to think of this family's legacy and the stuff they kind of made popular and invented. And this grandson coming from a name and being named after his incredible grandfather. And I just think it could really get to someone's head when that's kind of all they know and all that's important to them. And like many episodes and many stories, the fraud wasn't really necessary. But they did it.
- [45:58]
C
Yeah, they did it. So needless. People really liked the product, they liked the restaurant, they liked the vibe. Like, they could have really done this a little more straightforward.
- [46:09]
A
Oh, big time.
- [46:10]
C
Or maybe it is a story about, like, how expensive and impossible it is to turn a profit in a New York City restaurant.
- [46:16]
A
Well, I think people who own restaurants, and especially those who maybe don't want a ton of investors, even if they are super popular and influential, it is so hard to make money.
- [46:28]
C
Yeah.
- [46:29]
A
That, you know, you just. You kind of have to do all these things you really don't want to do. Do you have to scam necessarily? I don't think so. And also, like, people who are important at exclusive restaurants are also often quite cheap and expect a lot of free shit. So I do wonder how that business model works out where it's like, oh, more people are gonna wanna come if so and so shows up. But also that person probably has a crazy tab. Cause they expect things for free. It just seems so rough. I don't open restaurants. I just don't.
- [47:00]
C
This also feels like a story that's like, very much about men who are trying to keep up, like, their father's legacies and it's not enough for them to do as well. Or maybe just a little less. Yeah, they have to do more. And so they find ways to lie into it.
- [47:17]
A
I do think there are a lot of people who overvalue legacy in terms of, like, how the real world works, where it almost turns into an entitlement. Like, yes, it is incredibly impressive what this family has managed to do, but the world continues and maybe it's not enough to have come up with carpaccio.
- [47:36]
C
It is really an interesting story about like the first generation builds, the second spends and the third squanders it. Because it is like all the heirs kept fucking up these deals. Oh, for sure. They didn't have the old school trust that their grandfathers did.
- [47:49]
A
Yes, of course. And it's like, I do think it is that kind of like old world mentality of importance and legacy and like this is all we have. All we have is our name. But it's like, again, it's business. It has a cutthroat world.
- [48:04]
C
Sarah, I want you to know that I would always do fraud under your name. Proudly.
- [48:10]
A
I wouldn't for you. Oh, necessarily.
- [48:13]
C
No, I mean I would do the fraud. So everybody was like, oh, the Sarah Hagie fraud. I'd be like, yeah, that. Oh, okay, yeah, sure. The Sarah Hagie Ponzi scheme. I'll take that. Do you think if I keep saying these words they'll like start tricking like the Google AI results and then people will think that you did one? Sarah Hagie Ponzi scheme. Sarah Hagie Mark to market investing scheme. Sarah Hagie Enron. Sarah Hagie Enron. Sarah Hagie Enron. Is it working?
- [48:37]
A
Yep, yep, it's going to happen. It's going to work.
- [48:45]
C
Loving scamflancers get exclusive episodes and early access to new ones. All ad free on Wondry Plus. Join now in the Wondry app, Apple podcasts or Spotify. Before you go, help us out by taking a quick survey@wondry.com survey. This is the Cipriani family bribes and Bellinis. I'm Sachi Cole.
- [49:09]
A
And I'm Sarah Haggie. If you have a tip for us on a story that you think we should cover, please email us@scamfluencerswondery.com we use many sources in our research. A few that were particularly helpful were the Trouble with Harry's by Mark Steele and Vanity Fair, Harry's Bar, the Life and Times of the Legendary Venice landmark by Arrigo Cipriani and reporting by the New York Times.
- [49:33]
C
Tiff Williams wrote this episode. Additional writing by us, Sachi Cole and Sarah Hagie. Olivia Briley is our story editor. Fact checking by Kalina Newman. Sound design by James Morgan. Additional audio assistance provided by Augustine Lim. Our music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Freeze on Sync. Our managing producer is Desi Blaylock, Jeanine Cornello and Stephanie Jens, our development producers. Our associate producer is Charlotte Miller. Our senior producers are Sarah Enny and Ginny Blum. Our executive producers are Jenny Lauer, Becky Beckman and Marshall Louie For Wondering.
- [50:14]
E
In 1993, three 8 year old boys were brutally murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas. As the small town local police struggled to solve the crime. Rumors soon spread that the killings were the work of a satanic cult. Suspicion landed on on three local teenagers, but there was no real evidence linking them to the murders. Still, that would not protect them. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of Wondry show American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in US History. Presidential lies, Environmental disasters, Corporate fraud. In our latest series, three teenage boys are falsely accused of a vicious triple homicide. But their story doesn't end with their trials or convictions. Instead, their plight will capture the imagination of the entire country and spark a campaign for justice that will last for almost two decades. Follow American Scandal on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of American Scandal the West Memphis three early and ad free right now on Wondery plus.