Stay up to date with notifications from TheĀ Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Former Italian foreign minister convicted for role in sale of Monte Carlo apartment

A former Italian foreign minister has been convicted and sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for his role in the sale of an apartment in Monte Carlo inherited by his right-wing party

Via AP news wire
Tuesday 30 April 2024 11:24 EDT

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A former Italian foreign minister has been convicted and sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for his role in the sale of an apartment in Monte Carlo inherited by his right-wing party.

Gianfranco Fini is a former leader of the far-right Italian Social Movement, which he moved away from its neo-fascist ideology and transformed into the National Alliance, serving as foreign minister in 2004-2006 under then-Premier Silvio Berlusconi. The far-right party of Italyā€™s current premier, Giorgia Meloni, has roots in Finiā€™s parties.

Fini faced charges including money laundering in connection with the sale of the apartment in 2015 for 1.36 million euros (nearly 1.5 million euros at current exchange rates). The property had been left to the National Alliance by a countess and was sold to the father of Finiā€™s partner for 300,000 euros in 2008. A fraud investigation into that transaction closed without charges, and a new investigation was launched in 2017 after the second sale.

Fini told reporters after the verdict that he had been cleared of money-laundering but convicted of authorizing the sale. Finiā€™s partner, her father and brother were also convicted in the scheme and sentenced to between five and six years in prison.

Sentences under three years in Italy usually donā€™t result in jail time, and for nonviolent crimes, longer sentences usually are not served until appeals are exhausted.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in