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  • The Tsarist ruble that proved he was never almost poor

    The Tsarist ruble that proved he was never almost poor
    Sep 7 2026
    A Rome inspector nicknamed "almost poor" is found with tsarist rubles in his cushions - how deep does the corruption go?

    The Tsarist ruble that proved he was never almost poor

    In this episode, we lay out the discovery that forced investigators to reconcile a modest public life with hidden wealth and a powerful role in Italy's health system. What links the coins in the cushions to the decisions that shaped patients' care?

    Person: Duilio Poggiolini
    Date: 1993 search; born 25 July 1929; degree 1954
    Location: Rome apartment
    Role: Director General, Ministry of Health; head of national formulary oversight
    Event: Twelve-hour search revealing gold, jewels, paintings and coins including Tsarist rubles

    - Investigators spent twelve hours rifling a Rome apartment and found valuables concealed in ordinary furniture cushions and mattresses.
    - Poggiolini rose from physician to Inspector General and eventually Director General with control over Italy’s national formulary.
    - Payments from pharmaceutical companies allegedly flowed through his household, with his wife María Di Pierr acting as the collector.
    - His career included roles at WHO, the European Economic Community, the Italian Pharmacopoeia Commission, and the EU Committee for Proprietary Medical Products.
    - The case juxtaposes a neighborly image of being "almost poor" with an accumulation of gold, Krugerrands and coins minted under Tsar Nicholas II.

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    16 min