Investigations and asset seizure
The Guardia di Finanza in Palermo has seized assets worth over 2.1 million euros from a caregiver. The seizure was ordered by the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Palermo Court of Appeals after the woman’s definitive conviction for money laundering. She was acquitted of exploitation of a vulnerable person due to the statute of limitations, though the allegations were proven in court.
A millionaire exploitation scheme
Investigations between 2015 and 2018 revealed a complex scheme of asset misappropriation targeting an Italian-American businessman and his disabled son. The caregiver, hired to assist the entrepreneur, was named in his will as responsible for the son’s care after his death. In return, she inherited 31 properties and significant insurance policies. The son, unable to manage the assets, became a victim of the caregiver’s manipulation.
Fraud and hiding illicit gains
Following the businessman’s death, the caregiver liquidated over 2 million euros in insurance policies, transferring the funds to her accounts and reinvesting them through a Hungarian company she owned. Through complex bank transactions, including transfers to non-EU countries, she attempted to hide the illicit origin of the money.
The role of the Guardia di Finanza
The seizure order will recover most of the misappropriated assets, including several properties registered under the caregiver and her family, as well as bank account funds. This case highlights the Guardia di Finanza’s crucial role in fighting illicit wealth accumulation and protecting vulnerable individuals.
