IACC Hosts Luncheon for the Head of the Italian Guardia di Finanza – General Commander Giuseppe Zafarana

October 5, 2021, Washington, D.C. – Today, the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC) hosted a testimonial luncheon in honor of Giuseppe Zafarana, General Commander of the Italian Guardia di Finanza (GdF). The luncheon, was preceded by a reception the evening before hosted by the Ambassador of Italy, Mariangela Zappia, which was attended by IACC President Bob Barchiesi. The reception and luncheon recognized Zafarana’s leadership of the top law enforcement agency in Italy responsible for combatting counterfeits. During the event, the IACC and GdF discussed the expansion of the IACC’s Law Enforcement Training App to the GdF’s 70,000 staff nationwide, providing important information and brand contacts to enhance brand protection actions.

“General Commander Zafarana is a steadfast partner in the fight against fakes,” said Mr. Barchiesi. “We thank him and members of the GdF for their exemplary work and their valuable partnership.  We look forward to building on our collective successes and continuing to advance the protection of IP and consumer safety in Italy.”

The IACC and the GdF have built a strong partnership since their first joint IP training program in 2015 during which more than 700 law enforcement and cadets in Rome and Bari, Italy participated. The two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2016 and cooperated on programs to facilitate increased communication between law enforcement and private industry.

The GdF is a militarized police force under the Ministry of Economy and Finance responsible for enforcing against financial and economic crimes. Along with IP crimes, the GdF combats other crimes including tax evasion, fraud and corruption. 

Luminaries attending the luncheon included Brigadier General Salvatore Russo of the GdF; Tom Homan, Former Acting Director of ICE; Derek Benner, Former Executive Director of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Brad Buckles, EVP, RIAA and Former Director of ATF; and Steve Francis, Acting Executive Associate Director for HSI.

About the IACC

The IACC (www.iacc.org) is a Washington, DC-based not-for-profit organization representing the interests of companies concerned with trademark counterfeiting and intellectual property theft. The IACC membership include many of the world’s best-known brands across all product sectors. The IACC has played a leading role in the development of cross-industry voluntary agreements, to address the illicit trafficking of counterfeit and pirated goods online, including its IACC MarketSafe¨ and RogueBlock¨ initiatives.