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Italian Justice Closes Case on Controversial Pardon for Berlusconi Associate
🇦🇷 Argentina /Crime & Justice

Italian Justice Closes Case on Controversial Pardon for Berlusconi Associate

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Italian prosecutors have closed the case into a controversial presidential pardon granted to Nicole Minetti, dismissing allegations of irregularities raised by a Uruguayan newspaper.
  • The investigation was prompted by reports questioning the legitimacy of the pardon, which was linked to Minetti's adoption of a child with her partner, Giuseppe Cipriani.
  • Prosecutors found no evidence to contradict the initial findings supporting the pardon, which cited humanitarian reasons and Minetti's changed lifestyle.

Italian justice authorities have closed the investigation into a controversial presidential pardon granted to Nicole Minetti, a former associate of ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The case was initiated following allegations published by the Uruguayan newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano, which questioned the legitimacy of the pardon granted in February.

Milan's chief prosecutor, Francesca Nanni, concluded that the facts reported by the press were not true and that no evidence contradicted the existing findings supporting Minetti's pardon request. The pardon was reportedly granted for humanitarian reasons, linked to the serious health condition of a child adopted by Minetti and her partner, Italian businessman Giuseppe Cipriani, who resides in Uruguay. Minetti, a former regional councilor and dental hygienist, had been convicted in two separate trials related to Berlusconi's infamous parties.

The investigations carried out show that the facts published in the press that gave rise to this complementary investigation are not true, and that no facts have emerged that contradict the evidentiary framework already acquired.

— Francesca NanniMilan's chief prosecutor on the findings of the investigation into Nicole Minetti's pardon.

Il Fatto Quotidiano's reports in April had cast doubt on the adoption process, suggesting it occurred under dubious circumstances. The newspaper also highlighted the disappearance of the child's biological mother in Uruguay around the same time the pardon was signed, and the mysterious deaths of the biological family's lawyer and her husband. These claims, which painted a picture of intrigue, sex, and drugs, have now been dismissed by the Milanese prosecutor's office.

The prosecutor's office confirmed its favorable opinion of the pardon granted by President Sergio Mattarella. The decision stated that "there are no reports of crimes, pending judicial proceedings, or involvement in investigations" that would invalidate the pardon. This ruling effectively closes the chapter on the scandal that had cast a shadow over Minetti's presidential pardon.

There are no reports of crimes, pending judicial proceedings, or involvement in investigations.

— Francesca NanniMilan's chief prosecutor on the conclusion of the investigation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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