Giovanni D'Amico, 41, of NDG, is a familiar face to many in the west end. I met him first maybe 12 years ago. He was a smooth talking gosh-golly, anglo souvereignist who lived with his sister in what he happily described as an underpriced apartment. Gio D'Amico started a web site company that vowed to donate a big percentage of its money to good causes. He asked me to write an article about his initiative. Seemed like such an invitation to phoney accounting that I declined the offer but another journalist took him up on his effort to get freebie fan press. I had previously developed a bad feeling towards him after bumping into him at a terrace cafe on Mackay. He uncharacterstically stared blankly ahead while I tried to make small talk. Now he has been arrested and charged with beating up and raping several street hookers. WTF? What exactly would be the point of doing that? I just don't get it. Weren't those women on his list of corporate charity recipients? He has plead not guilty. Ugly, ugly, ugly.
Friday, July 18, 2008
There goes Giovanni D'Amico
Giovanni D'Amico, 41, of NDG, is a familiar face to many in the west end. I met him first maybe 12 years ago. He was a smooth talking gosh-golly, anglo souvereignist who lived with his sister in what he happily described as an underpriced apartment. Gio D'Amico started a web site company that vowed to donate a big percentage of its money to good causes. He asked me to write an article about his initiative. Seemed like such an invitation to phoney accounting that I declined the offer but another journalist took him up on his effort to get freebie fan press. I had previously developed a bad feeling towards him after bumping into him at a terrace cafe on Mackay. He uncharacterstically stared blankly ahead while I tried to make small talk. Now he has been arrested and charged with beating up and raping several street hookers. WTF? What exactly would be the point of doing that? I just don't get it. Weren't those women on his list of corporate charity recipients? He has plead not guilty. Ugly, ugly, ugly.
that's all well and good, but why is the cop arresting him wearing a red hat? was it an undercover sting operation involving elaborate red suits?
ReplyDeleteMaybe he finally snapped after the rejection you gave him so many years ago? Just sayin....
ReplyDeleteOh ya, since the Cops are wearing jeans they are probably on strike to the hats may have something to do with that.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever thought your small talk was just boring, that's why he gave a blank stare ? It happens to normal people too, not just rapists...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, cops are all wearing red caps these days.
Obviously the the small talk was boring, that's why they call it small talk.
ReplyDeleteOn that day he had the glazed 1,000 yard stare which betrayed the chatty persona he had been so careful to present to the rest of the world.
It was a telling moment, like seeing your uncle dressed as a woman, or finding out your friend also goes by another first name.
I also knew Gio (as we called him). The DAY I met him I was suspicious of him. He came in as a sweet-talking businessman. I was actually surprised that people he knew trusted him. Couldn't they see through his plastic personality?? Anglo separatist? The day of a federal election he claimed to have voted for the NDP "for the first time". Wonder what other "convenient" falsehoods he spread. Anyway, he was involved in attempting to take over a local cooperative store and booting out its much-respected manager. This was thankfully reversed when many members of the community came out to protest Gio (and his now-more-shamed) coup members.
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show how gullible some people are I guess. Those poor women; already dealing with the results of generations of abuse to be victimized by a wolf.
How did he think this sort of activity won't eventually catch up to him. I mean, you can walk into a shop and steal a bread bun, one-time... but eventually you're gonna get caught... and then plead like it's the first bun you ever stole in your life?
ReplyDeleteGoes to show the prostitution laws need to be changed. Took years of neglect on Vancouver's DES before the cops looked into the disappearing women there. And here this is alleged to have gone on since 2002? There's gotta be a better way... registered nurses of the night?
I wonder about the person who does this sort of thing... the two-sides of their personality... how this guy had an evil gaze during small talk... it makes sense that he'd be haunted by his demons behind his day-to-day facade
Innocent until proven guilty, however.
I've never been inside, but I don't think they dig these sort of felons.
(i came across this story from a friend who lived near him, met him in the community... was surprised to hear the allegations)
He's still being blogged about on the national CBC website, with comparisons to Robert Pickton. It remains to be seen whether he killed anyone, but clearly, the police are acting now because of the West-Coast sham where many prostitutes were killed and authorities didn't give a damn. Even then, since 2002? That is horrific considering many in the community dealt with him as early as 2003. I still can't believe the community was so willing to get duped by him, buying into his business, never looking past his fake personality, all because he used the work "eco" all over his company. Even only 4 weeks ago someone was promoting his company because they thought highly of it, to which I interjected, but couldn't quite explain my reservations except that the president was an "icky" character.
ReplyDeleteThis whole story is causing me cognitive dissonance on many levels.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, no matter if the guy was a bit of a weasel, this sort of behaviour is far beyond the pale for any sane individual.
Secondly, I never could understand the point of rape, like it seems that you'd be so busy trying to physically beat the woman (which is presumably an unpleasant and phsycially demanding thing to do) that you wouldn't even have the energy or impulse to perform sexually at the same time, it seems almost logistically impossible ... but I would imagine that if one was going to commit such a heinous crime, the same punishment would apply regardless of whom you did it to, so logically one would do it to a highly attractive woman. Raping a hooker is sorta like walking into a swank restaurant weilding a machine gun and then stealing the free mints at the cash.
Because those street hookers are pretty much okay with having sex, that's what they do, you've just got to give them some money. I don't think they charge that much. Raping a street hooker seems just about the dumbest crime that there could be.
Now, I am not a fan of street prostitutes. I think they demean poor neighbourhoods and I'd like the cops to have the right to remove them when they get complaints. I have been known to cajole and dissuade the crackhead hooker who insists on standing in front of - and sometimes inside - my building, but I certainly never had the impulse to hit her, much less have sex with her. (who on earth hires these women anyway?)
And one last point. The feds were partially blame for the Picton murders. Federal criminal law makes pimping an extremely serious crime. I don't think it should be. Plenty of men live off the avails of prostitution, depending on how you define it. If your woman goes to Las Vegas and works at the Chicken ranch and you spend some of her money, then you could technically face a long jail sentence. So as much as street prostitution is an odious, awful thing, and pimping even worse, at least if an abuse john feared the possibility of being pistol whiped by a bad ass pimp, he'd think twice. The prostitute resource group Stella - who I don't always agree with - would like to see Canada's pimp laws repealed as well.
There needs to be more built in disincentive to this sort of behaviour and increasing the perceived possibility of getting caught or beaten might diminish the violent impulses amongst psychopaths targeting these insane drug addicted women.
wow that was d'amico...i didn't even make the connection. From the way you all describe him, though, he sounds like a sociopathic liar from the get-go; if everyone gets that bad feeling from someone, then something is 'off' with them. He's obviously pathological and a predator who has been on this path for a long time; if it wasn't raping prostitutes it would have been something else.
ReplyDeleteI met Gio many years ago. Slippery guy.
ReplyDeleteWhile I can;t prove this is Gio in action it certainly looks like him to me. Anyone else that knows him think this is him?
http://www.youporn.com/watch/94724
I must admit I found this news utterly shocking when I heard it! Having served Gio in the bar I work in for over a year now (the most recent time being last Saturday night), I've always found him to be a very genuine, polite and interesting guy. Believe me, after nearly 10 years in the service industry I've become pretty good at being able to tell if someone is being fake and I never got that feeling with him. On the contrary in fact! I've had really good conversations with Gio and never felt that he 'stared blankly' (How this turned into an 'evil gaze' by the 7th or 8th comment I don't know!?).
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong, I'm not defending or condoning the crimes which he has been accused of committing (and for which he is stll yet to be found guilty). If he has committed these crimes then he deserves what will inevitably come to him. I just wanted to offer an account of the Gio that I know, being a seemingly good-natured, friendly, polite and well-liked patron.
By the way Kristian, please get your facts straight before making posts like this. He has been charged on 11 counts against FOUR women - not 'beatng up and raping 11 women'.
To the last poster: I don't think there's a single shot in the vid where the guy's face can be seen clearly. Even if there were and it became evident that it was him, so what? What are you trying to prove? That the guy likes having sex? With sexy young girls? Maybe (if he's really lucky) more than one at a time? If that's a crime we should probably all be locked up! This has no bearing on the charges he faces at all. Completely irrelevant
I've dealt with Gio on business level (his hosting company) for several years.Maybe he had 'eco' word all over his company name but i have to say the services he provided were ones of the best you could get for the price.Reliable and fast servers,
ReplyDeletevery decent service all around. I hope this company , that btw includes 2 other people (both shocked) will survive somehow.I've tried several hosting plans elsewhere and i have to say they were the best so far.
As for Gio himself , the justice system and public alike seemed to have sentenced him already.We MUST all remember that he is innocent until PROVEN guilty.
Imagine and keep in mind that any of you could be accused by anybody of anything (eg child molesting or abusing...how about that) and then if your name appears in the news...
Guilty or not you're finished.
That is true in theory but in practice its a non starter. The Crown doesnt randomly arrest and imprison people on multiple charges of violent crimes. They arrest you when they ve got a pretty good idea about what went down. They are professionals and are required to have a pretty strong case before proceeding. Go spend some time at the courthouse and see how many people are totally innocent of the crimes they are charged with.
ReplyDeleteI haven't spoken with Gio in about 7 years but I lived with the guy for over a year and have known him the better part of 15 years and I have to say I'm shocked by this. I LIVED with the guy and I never saw anything that would have made me think he could ever be accused of something like this. I keep hoping this was all one huge mistake but when you get picked up and the police make a point of plastering your name all over... it doesn't give me hope.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you Kristian that the reason you got the 1000 yard stare was because you turned him down for the article... nothing more. He felt burned and that's all. I know because I have been on the receiving end of that stare having lived with him. Don't over dramatize a small moment looking to make it sound like you bumped into Charlie Manson. I hope your life is not that uneventful.
For myself he will be innocent until proven guilty and if he really did what they say he did then he will pay the price and hopefully get help along the way. No matter what happens now his life is ruined.
To the people who post links to porn to see if it's him (it's not) or make him sound like a psycho after speaking to him a couple of times be responsible and stop speculating. People inevitably want to spew venom at something like this but don't forget... you might not like him but he has family at home. Good people (I know them) who I'm sure are devastated by this.
Stop acting like he has already been convicted.
He did that weird stare thing prior to me shunning his request for publicity.
ReplyDeleteI dont know if hes guilty or not but the chances of him getting acquitted of all charges are pretty slim.
Its a very serious crime he has been charged with.
I agree that it's a very serious crime he was charged with.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that they would not have gone after him unless they had some serious evidence but innocent people do get convicted sometimes which is why I think it's important not to just brand him.
I know personaly a woman in that case....he is a real asshole!he think he can do everything with these women just because they work on the streets..i'm not gona talk of the women,for respect and dignity.I hope is gonna have a lot of years behind bars,because this crime is so looser..cum and try me motherfucker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i'm gona wait.
ReplyDeleteMy friend I the catfish of the south are missing you I hope the hookers are nice where ever you go.....I can't beleave that you were anything but honorable.....
ReplyDeleteI dated he's sister about about 14 years back. She use to cry to me about certain things her brother use to do that would pain her and she use to cry on my shoulder. Made for good car sex though.
ReplyDeleteHope the allegations stick and that he gets whats waiting for him behind bars (3 very-well endowed black guys gangbanging him 24/7 sounds like a good start to me). Vaseline not an option Gio.
I don't think anyone is 'branding' this guy...he seems to have done a pretty good job of that all by himself. Like a lot of criminals, he thought he was so smart he'd get away with it...yeah, they'll never get me, i'm too smart...he was probably always like this, but hid it better back then. I have little doubt he'd have probably ended up killing one of them eventually.
ReplyDeleteI knew him from way back in the school days.I remember him as a super nice guy,very polite,very good student.Im very surprised by all this,but who knows what goes on in someone's head that would make him do things like this.BTW thats not him in the video,why even post that here?
ReplyDeleteWhat a fool... i knew him and he was a smart funny guy. I guess it's not the first time someone has led a double life.
ReplyDeleteso many lives will be messed up by his actions starting with the women he attacked... I wonder how his business partners feel about him right now. Their livelihoods are affected by this... i doubt Ecohosting.com will survive. Who would want to be associated with him now.
Does anyone know if there is any news on Gio's trial?
ReplyDeleteLast I heard he was up for a bail hearing last Monday the 4th... haven't heard anything since then... not even if he made bail or not.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine said that she heard a radio report stating that his bail was $15,000 and released to his family on the condition that he remain in their custody except for work and dr's appointments. Could this be?
ReplyDeleteI would like to know how I can access this national CBC blog on Gio's arrest? I looked everywhere and i cannot find anything. Can someone direct me?
ReplyDeleteProstitution is the oldest business known to man. Eliminating it would not solve anything, in fact it would create worse problems. The business would just go underground (granted parts of it already is) and that becomes more dangerous for the females and males providing the service.
ReplyDeleteAlso, something that we have backwards in our system is arresting the prostitutes for providing this service. Those seeking the prostitutes for their services should be arrested and charged, not the prostitutes. Because of this it creates two problems:
1.Those seeking the prostitutes know they won't be charged therefore the demand for the service will continue.
2.The street workers themselves would not be able to practise their fundemental rights for protection and justice (which no matter your line of work, every human being has a right and need to access) because their line of work is illegal. Therefore creating a negative aura around seeking help when it is needed.
I am surprised that some still think of this business as something that is negative. Granted it brings negativity due to the drugs and violence that surrounds it. However if Canada were to follow in the footsteps of many, many countries and legalize it, it would actually help everyone. The streetworkers would be not only safe, but safer due to the access of health services, insurance, the law enforcements etc. It has been proven that when prostitution is legalized the demand actually decreases.
Honestly, put yourself in those girls shoes... there are reasons why they are there in the first place. I am extremely surprised that in this day and age with the access to copious amounts of information that some can still have such a naive/ignorant stand point on prostitution.
What he did is serious and surprising. Surprising because I knew him myself. However there are billions of people in the world and in urban areas it is easy to maintain anonymity therefore it is easy to lead double lives. The police would not have arrested him with out hard facts and actual evidence.
I feel terribly for his family and coworkers but MORE for those he had abused in whatever way he did.
Prostitution is the oldest business known to man. Eliminating it would not solve anything, in fact it would create worse problems. The business would just go underground (granted parts of it already is) and that becomes more dangerous for the females and males providing the service.
ReplyDeleteAlso, something that we have backwards in our system is arresting the prostitutes for providing this service. Those seeking the prostitutes for their services should be arrested and charged, not the prostitutes. Because of this it creates two problems:
1.Those seeking the prostitutes know they won't be charged therefore the demand for the service will continue.
2.The street workers themselves would not be able to practise their fundemental rights for protection and justice (which no matter your line of work, every human being has a right and need to access) because their line of work is illegal. Therefore creating a negative aura around seeking help when it is needed.
I am surprised that some still think of this business as something that is negative. Granted it brings negativity due to the drugs and violence that surrounds it. However if Canada were to follow in the footsteps of many, many countries and legalize it, it would actually help everyone. The streetworkers would be not only safe, but safer due to the access of health services, insurance, the law enforcements etc. It has been proven that when prostitution is legalized the demand actually decreases.
Honestly, put yourself in those girls shoes... there are reasons why they are there in the first place. I am extremely surprised that in this day and age with the access to copious amounts of information that some can still have such a naive/ignorant stand point on prostitution.
What he did is serious and surprising. Surprising because I knew him myself. However there are billions of people in the world and in urban areas it is easy to maintain anonymity therefore it is easy to lead double lives. The police would not have arrested him with out hard facts and actual evidence.
I feel terribly for his family and coworkers but MORE for those he had abused in whatever way he did.
Well I knew him longer than you,
ReplyDeleteWhile he was studying in Concordia
He was studying in psyco. And he had
one study between the effect of
prostitute and heroin. I just cannot
believe that what he got caught up
in what he was studying in. I just knew him a GIO. That what we use to call him. People change in years. Just I cant understand why a smooth talker could pick up girls that he had to go that extreme.
I am on of the 4 street worker who have been brutally agress from D'Amico. I just want to say that the process in court it's starting the december 7 2009. From 2 years, have stop to be sex worker and I have start back college. I just hope justice wont juge me at this process...
ReplyDeletewow guess he's a gorilla pimp, beating up dem whores.
ReplyDeleteDid anything ever come of this case? Was he convicted?
ReplyDeleteI asked Stephane G. about it a few days ago and he told me that Gio is fighting the charge and it'll come before a judge, but I can't recall all the details.
ReplyDeleteI guess things move slowly in the courts. I would have thought that after 2.5 years there would have already been a trial.
ReplyDeleteThose of you who are actually dumb enough to believe these stupid comments, can rot in hell.
ReplyDeleteI've known Gio my whole life, he is the most kind, AND YES, AT TIMES HE CAN GET IRRETATED. just like you, and me for that matter. Does that mean that you deserve to have your name publicly released EVEN UNTIL YOU ARE STILL INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
You're all what we call "BANDWAGONERS" if you see that others are calling people names and accusing Gio (WHO YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW) of doing these things... like do you even have a brain? Think what YOU beleive, NOT what some low life writes on the internet.
For those of you who stood up for gio, congratulations on having your own opinion and not just jumping on the bandwagon...
In my eyes, I know the Gio i grew up with, the gio i've known my whole life. And if you don't know him personally (Meeting him once... i'm sorry but you DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT SOMEONE THE FIRST TIME YOU MEET THEM... fucking idiots lol )
Don't you think they would have put him in jail by now if they actually had secure evidence... haha its been four years..
Some people just need to grow up and stop believing everything you hear.. Anyone could be accused of ANYTHING. Doesn't mean your guilty.
Anyways... enough with my ranting. This is my opinion, and personally.. all of you judgemental people can fuck right off and deal with your own problems instead of jumping to conclusions. Gio now has his name slaughtered all over the internet, his life will never be the same.. All because of retards like you that don't know how to keep your gossiping mouths shut... High school was a LONG time ago... start acting your fucking age.
the guy is GUILTY and he got 12 yrs which is shit....life sentence would be best...if they did not get him he WOULD of continued his violent crimes which would of ended u in murder...being his friend or not nice guy or not HE IS A RAPEST...just because he's a nice guy doesn't mean you can be a rapest.....FACTS
ReplyDelete