ITALPREZIOSI
Resposta enviada pela Italpreziosi em 12/06/2025
Italpreziosi is a certified LBMA Good Delivery refinery and Responsible Jewellery Council CoP and CoC certified. Since the company was founded in 1984, Italpreziosi has always worked to collaborate with suppliers whose purpose is not only trade, but above all respect for the environment and the improvement of the social conditions of local communities. For these reasons, we annually undergo audits carried out by third parties, which include governance analysis and detail on our entire supply chain, therefore also all commercial documentation. During the onboarding, an alert or critical situation has never been detected and/or reported to the Brazil supply chain, also because due diligence is meticulously performed to comply with both national and international regulations., including the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, the US Dodd-Frank Act, the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation, LBMA, CRAFT Code, and RJC standards, as well as EU Anti-Money Laundering Directives and FATF Recommendations.
Each customer/supplier undergoes a rigorous risk assessment and categorization, which dictates our monitoring frequency. We also maintain an annual “High Risk Countries Index” based on comprehensive criteria such as governance, security, AML, corruption, environmental concerns, and human rights, drawing from diverse international sources. We decline business opportunities if risk is unmanageable or not mitigable, and promptly suspend accounts and report anomalies to authorities if issues arise during monitoring.
Only after our Know Your Customer (KYC) processes have been conducted through the request and analysis in depth ESG, financial, corporate, legal data, and public information analyses using specialized databases like Worldcheck and Dun & Bradstreet, the supplier, which have been therefore subjected to a rigorous evaluation, the same is included in the list of our approved suppliers. Supplier checks and monitoring are continuously carried out also through the use of international and national public sources in the country where the supplier is based, or through the whistleblowing and complaint system available on our website.
In fact, no reports nor alerts reached us regarding Ororeal until the news became public in 2022.
In the second half of 2021, the business relationship with Ororeal was no longer active, as there were no further purchases of material from our company after the first months of the year. Despite this, after the news spread in 2022, about one year after the inactivity of the business relationship, clarifications were promptly requested from Ororeal and we officially suspended the account, as required by our due diligence procedures. Ororeal in response to our request for clarification informed us that their company, after learning of the investigation, had suspended commercial relations with the subjects investigated, also informing us that the material provided to us had never been under investigation.
It should be noted that since Brazil is classified as a high-risk country, our company has applied, as is standard practice, Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), with a request for additional documentation: a complete list of suppliers, and a copy of the records with the due diligence carried out by our supplier, namely Ororeal. Since no suspicion of illegality emerged from either the ordinary or the Enhanced due diligence, the commercial relationship was carried out with periodic monitoring.
Regarding the comment about the brands mentioned in your email, we report below the reasons why what you intend to publish is false:
– Cartier: Italpreziosi collaborated with Cartier not directly, but through our affiliated company, Goldlake IP. Goldlake IP project, one of the world’s first initiatives (starting in 2008) to implement an RJC Chain of Custody certified gold supply chain traceability from mining to refining, investing in high environmental protection technologies, and in social activities and integration with local communities, combining profit and innovation with respect for humankind and the ecosystem, with sales of this material to Cartier. We want to clarify that our collaboration with Cartier was solely on this project which ended in 2015; since then, we do not directly supply any material to Cartier. We no longer sell any material to Cartier, neither as Italpreziosi nor as Goldlake IP.
– Tiffany: We have never worked directly with Tiffany. Could you please indicate to us the official source from which you obtained this information?
– Prada:As you can see from the article published on our website in 2023, it is written that Prada had selected us for recycled material certified Chain of Custody RJC. Therefore, since the business relations with Ororeal were inactive since 2021, it is impossible that this material could have ever arrived to Prada supply chain. We have never supplied gold directly to Prada.
It is written that Prada had selected us for recycled material from electronic and industrial scrap certified Chain of Custody RJC (circular economy). Therefore, since the business relations with Ororeal were inactive from 2021, it is impossible that this material could have ever arrived at Prada. According to the material that should have been purchased by Prada it was recycled from electronic and industrial scrap, therefore without mining. Therefore what is reported is false, since we do not supply Prada directly but indirectly through other supply chain actors.
Therefore, if you publish such information quoting these brands which have not anything to do with such a supply chain, since it is false, we reserve the right to have the competent judicial authority for the crimes of defamation and slander.
As our company believes in promoting sustainability; since 2019 we have developed “Chain of Information”, an educational website (now open-source since early 2023, launched during the OECD Responsible Minerals Forum) designed to help active and potential suppliers, including those in high-risk countries, enhance their sustainability and due diligence practices beyond national regulations, aligning with international standards like OECD, LBMA, and RJC. In 2020, Ororeal accessed the portal and benefited from all the tools provided, also sharing it with its suppliers who left positive feedback on the use of voluntary standards guides such as that of the LBMA, and committed to educate their suppliers with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to improve the all chain about compliance and transparency up to the origin.
We believe in education, collaboration, engagement, and transparency as crucial elements to empower SMEs and all entities in high-risk countries to build more sustainable supply chains. Without real engagement no change will ever happen in the industry, so we are proudly working everyday to see and to be that positive change. We continuously implement all available measures to ensure a responsible supply chain, guided by due diligence principles.
To have further details on our sustainability, sourcing policies, compliance and due diligence mechanism you can find all the detailed information in our Sustainability Report and Compliance Report.
We highly value your work in raising awareness on critical topics and appreciate the validity of your inquiries, which help us communicate the complexities of corporate responsible sourcing. We also have long relied on your publication for due diligence insights. We would be keen to collaborate with you and receive alerts regarding any negative developments in the precious metals industry (e.g., human rights concerns, environmental issues, or criminal activities).
We use all measures at our disposal to ensure a responsible and sustainable supply chain, guided by due diligence principles.
We also hope that the authorities responsible for the various controls will intensify these activities in order to protect the entire supply chain and those who work every day for a more equitable and transparent world.
We are available for any further in-depth discussions you may require.
Should you be in Italy, we would be pleased to know each other and to have you visit and see how we work.
Resposta adicional enviada pela Italpreziosi em 13/06/2025
We appreciate that you have acknowledged that Italpreziosi has no direct relationship with Prada and that you will faithfully report what we have highlighted.
In reference to the clarifications sent to you and your response asking us for clarifications regarding the “major US technology companies” that indicate in their reports that our company is part of their gold supply chain, we would like to clarify:
- That we do not have direct commercial relationships with the companies you indicate, nor are we required to verify the relationships between our client companies and third parties;
- We reiterate that our company, before proceeding with the purchase of gold, implements procedures based on all national and international regulations to verify the “potential” supplier and only after the due diligence process has had a positive outcome, can the commercial relationship with Italpreziosi be established;
- “3. Following what you have written in your email, even if an individual economic operator complies with all relevant national and international regulations, it doesn’t automatically confirm the legality of their supplier. If this is the case, it means that in your opinion, following what you wrote, the purchasing companies have neither means nor certain tools to prevent infiltrations of a “criminal” nature in the supply chain; infiltrations that have the sole purpose of “delegitimizing” serious companies, causing damage to both the environment and local communities.”
We therefore ask that your report give, as you have already guaranteed for the relationship with Prada, a correct representation of Italpreziosi’s activity, also with regard to the companies you mentioned in today’s email.
In recalling what was specified in yesterday’s communication, it is our duty to point out that any representation of Italpreziosi as part of illegitimate supplies of precious metals would be detrimental to the company’s reputation and therefore could only lead it to protect its reputation on the market in every way, as well as to request compensation for all direct and indirect damages that this could cause it.
Given the above, we would like to point out that Italpreziosi’s entrepreneurial vision goes beyond economic profit: it is that of an industry that has made the principles of sustainability and compliance its operating standards.
Italpreziosi is committed, in force to its due diligence process, to guaranteeing the legitimate origin of precious metals. To this end, the company has equipped itself with a qualified internal team, dedicated daily to the analysis of potential counterparties and the constant monitoring of active ones, implementing an extremely rigorous due diligence process.
Our primary objective is to thoroughly verify the origin of the precious metal, ensuring that it comes exclusively from legal sources. Our team carries out this task autonomously and independently, also taking into account the corporate governance structure, also using specific tools and, if necessary, directly consulting local authorities. An internal Commission supports and supervises the team, whose members have been selected based on their proven experience in the sector, in-depth knowledge of specific regulations and strong sensitivity to the issues of responsible sourcing and compliance. This structure guarantees a holistic and competent approach in defining the legal origin of the precious metal.
Identifying the legitimate origin of precious metals remains a complex challenge. For this reason, we hope for more active support from governments, authorities, and international bodies in the sector. These actors, who have the access to more immediate and privileged information, could greatly facilitate the work of companies, allowing for greater effectiveness in the fight against illicit trade. Companies actively engaged in this sector, despite working in good faith, face accusations rather than being recognized for their positive role in the supply chain. We firmly believe that greater collaboration and information sharing between the public and private sectors is fundamental to building a more responsible and transparent future in the precious metals trade.
In conclusion, we underline the importance that your analysis enhances the implementation of these principles by Italpreziosi, not generating erroneous assimilations between operators who carry out illegal activities and those, like us, who are victims of such illegality and an active part of the solution.
We would like to point out that an inaccurate representation of the precious metal supply chain, without distinguishing between those who operate in compliance with the processes established by international regulatory bodies in the sector (such as Italpreziosi) and those who operate in the depths of illegality, risks causing damage to Italpreziosi.
We therefore appeal to your responsibility as journalists to report the facts exhaustively and correctly, understanding their context.
Also attached is a message from our CEO, Ivana Ciabatti.
Kindest regards
Giuseppe Ferrara, Member of the BoD with AML delegation; Alice Vanni, CSR Director and Member of the BoD with Benefit Corporation Law delegation; Roberto Tanganelli, Head of Legal Department; Serena Pallini, Compliance Officer
Carta de Ivana Ciabatti, CEO da Italpreziosi, enviada à Repórter Brasil
NVIDIA
NVIDIA is committed to the responsible sourcing of minerals. We routinely review suppliers to ensure compliance with our responsible mineral policy and conduct due diligence to ensure our products are sourced responsibly.
Amazônia Trading Express e Ororeal
São Paulo, 13 de junho de 2025
À Murilo Pajolla
Confirmo o recebimento de seu e-mail o qual mereceu nossa maior atenção e consideração, e damos as respostas cabíveis em nome da empresa Amazônia e Ororeal, que segue abaixo:
1 – Antes de adentrar ao mérito, informamos que as empresas Amazônia e Ororeal jamais adquiriram ouro provenientes de terras indígenas ou ilegal. Ambas as empresas têm um compliance com nível máximo de exigência, impõem regras rígidas a seus fornecedores com o envio de toda a documentação exigida em lei, para comprovar a origem da mercadoria adquirida. Além da documentação exigida em Lei, a empresa exigia o comprovante de pagamento do Cfem que é a contribuição feita ao Município para recuperação ambiental, comprovando a origem, possibilidade de extração da PLG e anuência do Município, que atesta a procedência lícita do material. Toda a mercadoria comprada pela empresa Amazônia (trading) foi exportada a empresa Ororeal (importador), não havendo provas de que o ouro adquirido seja de procedência ilegal. Tal fato é reconhecido inclusive por laudo pericial que apontou que todas as notas fiscais de entrada e saída, são contabilizadas e declaradas perante a Receita Federal. Não há outras formas de verificações possíveis, sendo uma inverdade que as empresas teriam ciência de suposta origem ilegal de ouro, tratando-se de transação comercial normal e regular.
2 – Os sócios das empresas não reconhecem o envolvimento nessas operações e têm contribuído com o material necessário perante os autos do processo para elucidar os fatos, confiando que a Justiça será feita, não sendo imputado nenhum crime às empresas e ou seus sócios. Todas as aquisições foram feitas de empresas legalmente constituídas, o produto é ouro mercadoria e não há nenhuma compra de pessoa física, empresa ou instituição que não esteja apta à compra e venda de ouro, nos termos das Leis 7766/89 e 12844/13.
3 – As empresas esclarecem que não há nenhum indício de que o ouro comercializado tenha sido adquirido de forma ilegal, e todas as operações passaram pelo compliance do Banco Central, Receita Federal, Alfândega, Compliance do vendedor, comprador, exportador, importador e purificadora sem que nenhum elo da cadeia pudesse apurar qualquer ilegalidade. Importante mencionar a obrigação legal do Estado de fiscalizar essas operações, sem que houvesse qualquer apontamento de irregularidades, na documentação emitida pelo próprio Estado, como IBAMA, ANM, PLG, Junta Comercial, Notas Fiscais eletrônicas, pagamento de impostos em todas as operações da cadeia. Não seria crível que o Estado Brasileiro estivesse cobrando impostos e emitindo documentos sobre uma operação considerada ilegal. Como foi citado a empresa Confiança/Pemex e Abdon, esclarecemos que a empresa Confiança consta como atividade o código 6619-3/02 o que significa que é correspondente de instituições financeiras e comércio varejista de ouro, e a Abdon código 07.24.-3.02 com o beneficiamento de metais preciosos, ou seja, as 3 empresas aptas a operar na compra e venda de ouro.
4 – A empresa Amazônia (exportadora) tem um sócio comum com a empresa Ororeal (importadora), não havendo qualquer irregularidade nesse fato, não há qualquer nota fiscal falsa, ao contrário, como já se comprovou por laudo. Nossas exportações foram sob o código 7102, quando adquiridas de DTVM e sob o código 7501, quando adquirida de cooperativas e mineradoras, o que significa dizer que o exportador de fato é a empresa, nos termos da Lei. Como qualquer commodities física, o local de entrega da mercadoria consta da nota fiscal e não representa o local físico do importador ou exportador, ou escritório da sede da empresa. Importante mencionar que na nota fiscal consta o exportador, importador, local de entrega e recebedor, para total transparência da operação. Assim sendo, não há notas fiscais falsas, não há estruturação empresarial para facilitar ilícitos, ao contrário, as notas fiscais são verdadeiras, têm todas as informações e comprova o alegado, o fato do Inquérito ter essas informações decorrentes do fornecimento da documentação pelas empresas.
5- As empresas estão colaborando com as investigações, confiando na Justiça que apontará a ausência de crime e posteriormente encerrarem suas atividades no ramo, dada a insegurança jurídica imposta a esse mercado que, lamentavelmente, acarretará a diminuição da arrecadação de impostos, a diminuição dos empregos e a redução da economia.
6 – Com relação as suas premissas iniciais, fundamentadas no Inquérito Policial, eis que até a presente data as pessoas físicas e jurídicas não tiveram acesso à denúncia, temos a esclarecer erros de luminosidade solar, senão vejamos: 1- Não há recebimento de denúncia pelas empresas até a presente data; 2- Não há no ordenamento jurídico o crime “esquentamento de notas”, ao contrário, todas as nossas notas são legítimas e comprovadas documentalmente; 3- O Estado Americano de Delaware (EUA), não é paraíso fiscal, e a empresa Ororeal não é offshore, como é de conhecimento público, sendo um erro crasso; 4- A Amazônia e a Ororeal têm um sócio em comum, não havendo qualquer irregularidade nisso, em todas as notas fiscais constam os reais importadores, não havendo qualquer crime nessa operação. O exercício simples de raciocínio lógico nos obriga a algumas considerações sobre o tema, vamos imaginar que a exportação seja de 300 toneladas de açúcar (commodities física), seriam entregues no escritório ou em um armazém? Não suficiente, o preço do ouro é ditado pelo mercado internacional, porque a empresa compraria ouro de origem ilegal, podendo comprar de origem legal pelo mesmo valor? Tais questionamentos se mostram importantes para verificação da fragilidade do inquérito policial e denúncia. No tocante a emissão de notas fiscais a pessoas mortas por nossos fornecedores não temos condição de verificar, pelo sigilo óbvio da contabilidade de outra empresa, e se verdadeira a denúncia, deve ser questionada ao fornecedor. A confiança e MM Gold forneceram mercadorias à empresa Amazônia, com toda a comprovação de origem, não sendo de nosso conhecimento qualquer irregularidade.
1 – A Ororeal segue em atividade fora do mercado de ouro brasileiro.
2 – A empresa desde 2023 não mantém atividades comerciais com a Pemex, Amazônia, Confiança e MM Gold.
3 – Negamos veementemente qualquer participação em qualquer crime.
4 – A Ororeal jamais tentou dissimular a origem ilícita de ouro, ao contrário, todo ouro adquirido foi de forma lícita e atuava como importadora com todas as informações constantes das notas fiscais, inclusive o destinatário final.
5 – Não tenho conhecimento de compra ilegal de ouro e todas as compras foram de forma legal com a documentação comprovando a origem, pagamento de impostos e Cfem o que comprova que o ouro é de origem lícita.
6 – No passado, a empresa Ororeal trabalhou com a empresa Italpreziosi, porém, não atua mais no mercado nacional de ouro desde o ano de 2023.
7 – Somos sócios da empresa Ororeal e Amazônia.
8- As empresas Ororeal e Amazônia sempre lutaram pela legalidade e lisura de suas operações, tendo todos os documentos exigidos em Lei, mantendo toda a documentação em arquivo, e jamais adquiriram ouro de origem ilícita. Assim que a empresa tomou conhecimento das acusações, parou as atividades no Brasil, a Ororeal e Amazônia sempre efetuaram a verificação acerca da existência das autorizações dos fornecedores e a procedência do metal.
Estamos à disposição para sanar eventuais dúvidas que ainda persistam.
