Florence, Italy, 4/17/2026

ACF Fiorentina S.r.l. A Socio Unico and its President, Giuseppe B. Commisso, firmly reject as false, defamatory, and entirely unsupported by evidence the allegations published by Gazzetta del Sud in its article titled “Risiko Investigation on the Locride Clans. The ROS: ‘Rocco Commisso Financed Them’,” authored by journalist Rocco Muscari. ACF Fiorentina and Giuseppe B. Commisso have already instructed counsel to take all necessary action to protect the memory and reputation of the late President Rocco B. Commisso.

The headline “Rocco Commisso Financed Them” is inherently defamatory because it presents a grave accusation as established fact. Yet the article itself relies on conditional and hypothetical language, and even its own description makes clear that the allegation is not presented as proven fact.

This is plainly hearsay, reported in conditional terms, and unsupported by any evidence. The article itself acknowledges that the allegation would matter only “if it were fully verifiable,” yet the headline presents it as certainty. Presenting such material as fact fails the most basic standards of responsible journalism, including accuracy, fairness, and respect for personal reputation.

ACF Fiorentina also condemns the article’s instrumental use of the shared surname “Commisso” to create a misleading and defamatory association between Rocco B. Commisso and individuals referenced in the investigation. As the article itself expressly acknowledges, Rocco B. Commisso and the Commisso clan of Siderno “obviously have no connection” to each other, yet that shared surname was still used to create a highly damaging and misleading association against his reputation.

The article’s own acknowledgment, using the term “obviously,” makes the editorial choice even more serious. Despite recognizing that any such association is unfounded, the piece is constructed in a way that invites readers to draw a false and damaging impression of direct involvement by Rocco B. Commisso in the investigation.

The article employs a journalistic technique that invites readers to draw false conclusions that do not correspond to the truth, thereby seriously damaging the memory and reputation of Rocco B. Commisso.

Rocco B. Commisso’s life and reputation stand in direct contrast to the insinuations published in the article. Born in Calabria, in Marina di Gioiosa Ionica, and emigrating to the United States at only twelve years of age, he built an extraordinary life through hard work, discipline, and achievement. He began his professional career in the banking sector, holding positions at Chase Manhattan Bank and Royal Bank of Canada, where he developed a strong foundation in finance and operations, before later founding Mediacom Communications Corporation and acquiring ACF Fiorentina in 2019.

Throughout his life, Rocco B. Commisso opposed the stereotypes that wrongly associate Italian Americans with organized crime. He worked for years within the Italian American community to promote its true image and to reject these false and deeply harmful prejudices.

His achievements were widely recognized. He received numerous honors, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Foreign Policy Association Medal, and Columbia Engineering’s Johnson Medal for Distinguished Achievement. In football, he built the Rocco B. Commisso Viola Park, the largest training center in Italy, as one of the most significant long-term investments in ACF Fiorentina’s future.

His generosity extended far beyond business and football. Through Mediacom’s World Class Scholars Program, September 11th Memorial Scholarship Fund, Entrepreneur of Tomorrow Award, and other initiatives, he helped provide educational scholarships to more than 4,000 students nationwide. He established the Rocco B. Commisso American Dream Fund at Mount Saint Michael Academy and, together with his wife Catherine, endowed the Rocco and Catherine Commisso Scholarship at Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science to support future generations of students.

His philanthropy was also deeply personal. During the Coronavirus emergency in Florence, he helped rally the “Forza e Cuore” campaign to support local hospitals, and when he visited the Meyer Children’s Hospital, he did so not as an owner or businessman, but as a father bringing comfort, gifts, and encouragement to children and families. Those who knew him understood that he treated people with respect, made employees and colleagues feel like family, and showed genuine care for others in both public and private life. His legacy is that of a self-made immigrant entrepreneur, a philanthropist, and a man whose humanity matched his success.

Gazzetta del Sud and journalist Rocco Muscari are formally notified against repeating these defamatory allegations. ACF Fiorentina requests the immediate publication of a correction clarifying that Rocco B. Commisso had no involvement in any unlawful conduct. The correction should also state that the statement, “Rocco Benito Commisso had financed the association not in Siderno, but in Marina di Gioiosa Ionica, his place of origin, paying one million euros,” is entirely unsupported by any evidence and must be retracted immediately.

Any other media outlet that republishes or amplifies these allegations is urged to report ACF Fiorentina’s position in full and to avoid speculation or misleading interpretations. ACF Fiorentina and Giuseppe B. Commisso will take all necessary action to protect the memory and reputation of Rocco B. Commisso and his family.

ACF Fiorentina S.r.l. A Socio Unico