Official announcements from the Italian government or news reports

Italy's Tourism Minister Santanchè to Stand Trial on March 20 for Alleged False Accounting at Visibilia, 15 Others Indicted

Jan 17, 2025, 12:01 PM

Italy's Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè has been ordered to stand trial for alleged false accounting related to her former company, Visibilia. The decision was made by a Milan judge, who set the trial to begin on March 20. Santanchè, who sold her stake in Visibilia when she became minister in 2022, faces charges of false corporate communications for the period between 2016 and 2022. The accusations stem from an investigation initiated by minority shareholders, including financier Giuseppe Zeno, who claim that the company's financial statements were manipulated to hide losses and avoid necessary recapitalization. Alongside Santanchè, 15 other individuals, including her partner Dimitri Kunz, her sister Fiorella Garnero, her niece Silvia Garnero, and her former partner Canio Giovanni Mazzaro, have been indicted. The case could have political repercussions, as Santanchè is a member of the right-wing Brothers of Italy party led by Premier Giorgia Meloni.