Santanch¨’s Hearing Postponed in Aggravated Fraud Case

Milan: Milan preliminary hearings judge Tiziana Gueli on Wednesday postponed to May 20 a preliminary hearing of the case in which Tourism Minister Daniela Santanch¨ faces aggravated fraud charges against INPS social security and pensions agency over the lay-off fund during the COVID period. Gueli’s decision came after Santanch¨ changed a member of her defence team and the new attorney, Salvatore Pino, asked the judge on Tuesday for the hearing to be postponed so he could have more time to study the case.

According to Ansa News Agency, the other defence attorney, Nicol² Pelanda, said he could not be present in court as he was working on another trial. Meanwhile, Pino stated on Wednesday that he “cannot rule out” the possibility that Santanch¨ could testify in the trial. “We are evaluating” the possibility, he told reporters. “I spoke with her yesterday, she is very calm,” Pino also said.

The minister’s new attorney announced that INPS “will withdraw” as a civil plaintiff in the case. He explained that the social security and pensions agency is set to withdraw “because it has been entirely compensated” by Santanch¨’s former companies. The preliminary hearings judge is set to decide whether Santanch¨ will be indicted in the case. The tourism minister has said she will step aside in the event of an indictment.

At least two additional preliminary hearings are expected before a decision on the indictment is made, according to court sources. Santanch¨ and two other people, including her life partner Dimitri Kunz, and two companies are accused of aggravated fraud against INPS for drawing on COVID redundancy funds for staff at her Visibilia group while they were in fact allegedly working.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, Milan State attorney Marina Gravina opposed Pino’s motion to adjourn the hearing as well as the two-month-long postponement, telling the GUP that the case risks being timed out by the statute of limitations. Part of the actions challenged by prosecutors in the case date back to 2020 and the statute of limitations for the charge is seven and a half years. Gueli rejected the objection and scheduled the hearing on the first date available, which was May 20, according to judicial sources.