The Basilio Cali' deceitful Self-styled Order, much like its predecessor, has no historic affiliation or connection with the legitimate Russian Order of St. John.

This self-styled Order was formally established by Mr Cali' in 2012, following a six-year  tumultuous internal power struggle inside the Scerri Montaldo group. The inception of this fraudulent Order began with a group of former members who followed Mr Cali' after he lost his battle for control against Mr Scerri Montaldo.

Mr Cali's involvement with the Montaldo/Thorbjorn group dates back to the late 90’s. Before joining, he was already a member of another self-styled Order known today as the Cosmelli/ Popper Order.

Basilio quickly earned a reputation for his persuasive abilities in recruitment, and it wasn't long before he was elevated to the inner circle of Scerri Montaldo and Thorbjorn Paterno group. It was within this circle that he refined his abilities in the art of selling knighthoods and titles for profit.

Insider sources from this group, who initially thought they were joining a legitimate organization, have revealed its true intentions. The Basilio Cali' Order operates as a deceptive money-making scheme, where members are encouraged to recruit friends and acquaintances in return for hefty commissions. It is said that all members are prompted to bring in new recruits, who are required to pay a minimum entrance fee of 2,500 euros, and in return receive a 25% commission for each new member they successfully enlist.

The elaborate scheme orchestrated by Mr Cali' and his associates is similar to those exercised by the Scerri Montaldo and Paterno groups which has duped unsuspecting individuals into believing they are participating in a legitimate organization. The promise of prestigious titles and knighthoods has been used as bait to lure in individuals who are seeking recognition and status. However, the reality of the situation is far from what is advertised, with the main goal being to generate revenue through the exploitation of individuals' aspirations.

Despite the facade of legitimacy that the Basilio Cali' Self-styled Order tries to portray, it is evident that their true intentions lie in profiting off the naivety of others. The manipulation of individuals' desires for recognition and prestige has enabled Mr Cali' and his allies to maintain a profitable enterprise built on deception and dishonesty.

The Basilio Cali' Self-styled Order operates under the guise of a charitable organization, claiming to be dedicated to humanitarian work and helping those in need. However, investigations have revealed that this group is not a registered entity and the majority of the funds collected by this group are used by Mr Cali' for his personal gain and lavish lifestyle, which include a magnificent villa situated in Gharghur Malta, used as headquarters for his Self-styled Order and a flamboyant car.

As more individuals become aware of the true nature of this group, it is essential to expose this scheme and prevent others from falling victim to these deceptive practices. By illuminating the inner workings of this illegitimate organization, we can prevent further exploitation.

Mr Basilio Cali' a former technical director of ANTENNA 10 Sicilian TV station found himself in the midst of a power struggle. He had witnessed the bitter disagreements between Mr Scerri Montaldo and Mr Thorbjorn Paterno, which ultimately led to a split in 2003/2004. Seeing an opportunity to capitalize on the chaos, Cali' saw this situation as a chance to potentially take over the Montaldo group.

In an effort to assert his dominance within the Montaldo group, Cali' attempted to claim himself as his successor, citing alleged irregularities in Montaldo's actions in 2006. This bold move sparked an open feud this time between Cali' and Scerri Montaldo, with both men vying for control of the group. The power struggle escalated to the point where both individuals claimed to be the rightful Grand Master and expelled each other from the Order, leaving the group in a state of disarray.

In 2012, Scerri Montaldo attempted to put an end to the ongoing conflict by taking Cali' to court in Malta. Mr Louis Scerri Montaldo filed a court case in his name and as Grandmaster of his self-styled  Order, against Basilio Cali'. He said that Cali' was presenting himself as the 77th grandmaster of the Order and appropriating funds which were due to his self-styled Order. He called on the court to declare that the 77th  grandmaster of the Order did not exist and the accused had no title or post within the self-styled Order.

In his reply, Basilio Cali' denied the charges and said that Mr Scerri Montaldo had been removed from the post of grandmaster on December 5, 2006 for entering into arrangements which are against the interests of the self-styled Order which included the issue of diplomatic passports, which are not only illegal but are prohibited and he had succeeded him and assumed the right of legal representation of the self-styled Order. In its judgement, the court issued a statement and clearly stated that in terms of the law, no public official or authority in Malta could recognise or act in a way which was construed as granting recognition of some title of nobility or honour, decoration, membership or post which were not already recognised by the State. The court made it clear that were it to consider the issues in the case before it, it would be granting the sort of recognition prohibited by law. Ultimately, the Maltese Supreme Court sent them both away and refused to hear their case, as this Self-styled Order is not recognized as a legitimate entity.

This decision effectively nullified any claims to leadership that Mr Cali' or Mr Scerri Montaldo may have had, leaving both men without a clear path to victory. Undeterred by the legal setback, Basilio Cali' took matters into his own hands and established his own organization together with a bevy of Montaldo’s members based in Sicily. This group also calls itself the Sovereign Order of St. John Knights of Malta. Cali' appointed himself Grand Master of this new group after a sham election, despite the ongoing disputes with Montaldo and the lack of official recognition from the Maltese court.

Later on, Mr Cali' found himself entangled in legal issues with the Italian authorities related to the sale of diplomatic passports and other unrecognised titles. However, he was ultimately acquitted allowing him to continue with his group.

History repeats itself and this time it was Mr Cali’s turn to try to give some sort of credibility to his new group and he did so by enrolling Hans Maximus Cabrera Lochaber Rurikovich as the Royal Protector of his self-styled Order. Hans Maximus claims to be the Head of the Royal Imperial House and Dynasty Rurikovich since January 4th, 2008, and Head of Family House Dynasty Arms and Orders from 2020, following the passing of his brother. The Rurikovich family never had any connection with the legitimate Russian Order of St. John and his role in Mr Cali’s group was to portray a nice chivalric nostalgia and most of all to keep the sale of noble titles and knighthoods going on.

The Cali’  / Rurikovich relationship went on for quite some years until they formally separated in 2021/22 with the latter opening a new self-styled Order of his own, with the support of various members of Cali’s group.  

This separation left Cali’ and his group without the Royal Protector; a role held by Maximus Rurikovich.  We hold significant concerns and serious doubts regarding Maximus's credentials to fulfil the role of Royal Protector, as well as the legitimacy of his fons honorum, if he possesses one.  Additionally, he has revoked all noble titles that were previously bestowed upon Cali’ by him. All this havoc, much like in the past, stemmed from the typical internal power struggles, financial disputes, and Cali's dictatorial behaviour.

Ultimately, Cali resolved the issue as he had in the past, he approached  the Argentinian Ruben Alberto Gavaldà and after some talks he enrolled him as his new Royal Protector. This move helped preserve the façade of leadership, maintained appearances and extravagance, and allowed his group members to pursue their quest to attract potential new recruits in exchange of a hefty commission.

Mr Ruben Alberto Gavaldà initially joined Mr Scerri Montaldo self-styled Order in 2006 but eventually lost interest and distanced himself from it. Years later, he was called upon to support Cali's interests. Mr. Gavaldà describes himself as a professor specializing in Ceremonial, Protocol, and Event Organization, holding a Doctorate in Philosophy of Education. Mr. Gavaldà has authored several books focused on organizing events and ceremonial protocols. He also claims to be of royal lineage, identifying as a prince with Franko-Merovingian-Carolingian descent and a pretender to the French throne. His claim connects him to the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties, which played a crucial role in early medieval European history.

The Carolingians and Merovingians were dynasties that ruled significant portions of Europe during the early Middle Ages. The Merovingians reigned from the 5th to the 8th centuries, while the Carolingians took over until the 12th Century. The Merovingian dynasty came to an end in AD. 751, when Pepin the Short deposed the final king, Childeric III and crowned himself, marking the beginning of the Carolingian dynasty. In AD. 753, he confined Childeric's only son to a monastery, effectively extinguishing the Merovingian line. The Carolingian line ended with the death of Eudes, Count of Vermandois. His sister, Adelaide, the last surviving Carolingian, passed away in AD. 1122.

It is a well-established fact that there are no direct descendants of these dynasties and no claim can be made and recognized or given royal status today. Genealogy experts often trace noble lineages, and while some individuals may have some ancestral ties to these royal families in one way or another, such connections are likely to be through a distant relative of the families in question and have no bearing on contemporary titles or roles.

The Gavaldà family is not well-documented as a significant noble lineage in Spanish history. Nevertheless, numerous families across Spain boast noble ancestries or connections to local gentry. Mr Gavaldà also claims to be the head of this family, a title he asserts to have reclaimed in 2004. While we shall avoid engaging in a debate over his nobility claims and family ties, it is evident that he lacks a legitimate fons honorum, which undermines any assertions of noble status let alone Royal Pretensions.

In summary, similar to his predecessor, any noble titles or knighthood granted by him or in his name lack substantial recognition and hold little or no significance. This also includes the recent and questionable title of Prince of Rhodes that he  conferred upon Cali’.

In the end, Basilio Cali’s journey from a technical director at ANTENNA 10 Sicilian TV station to the self-appointed Grand Master of a new organization was marked by power struggles, legal battles, and personal ambition. Our recommendation is to avoid this group to prevent any potential issues or unexpected surprises.

Basilio Cali and Hans Maximus Rurikovich honouring each other with gifts and titles

Mr Ruben Alberto Gavaldà the new so-called Royal Protector replacing Mr Hans Maximus Rurikovich who left basilio and opened his own self-styled Order. Both protectors without a valid Fons Honorum

Self-proclaimed Grand Master Basilio Cali in a reimagined Soleil style, adorned in a masonic vest.

Italian Court case against Basilio Cali