Vastly Vinitech: the grandest wine tradeshow

Wines & Vines, March, 2003 by Claire Hart, Chet Klingensmith

Agostini apparently used Wine Advocate letterhead to bill the Geens Group for more than $50,000. The bills allegedly were part of a scam involving Isabele Teles Pinto, former CEO of Geens. French police believe Teles Pinto embezzled about $800,000 and Agostini fraudulently received a total of $150,000.

Wine Advocate publisher Robert Parker criticized his associate's "bad judgement" in working for a wine company, but maintained, "I am a civil libertarian and I still believe she is innocent until proven guilty." Nonetheless, Parker said he was increasingly troubled by the accusations and was considering replacing Agostini until all this is resolved."

If convicted, Agostini faces a maximum penalty of $1 .08 million and five years in jail.