(ANSA) – MILAN, MAY 27 – They were acquitted with the formula “because the fact does not exist” Giovanna Venturini, former secretary of the president of Confcommercio Carlo Sangalli, and Francesco Rivolta, former CEO of Confcommercio, who were both accused of extortion in comparisons of the same ‘number one’ of the confederation of commercial enterprises. This was decided, in the trial with an abbreviated procedure, by the gup of Rome Alessandro Arturi, after the prosecutor had asked for sentences for the two accused respectively to 4 years, 6 months and 5 years.
The investigation was born following a complaint presented by Sangalli, assisted by the lawyer Domenico Aiello, against the then CEO Rivolta, defended by the lawyers Salvatore Scuto and Claudia Ferri, and Venturini, former secretary of the presidency office of the confederation and defense by the lawyer Paolo Gallinelli. The two defendants were accused, in essence, of having extorted an agreement through which Sangalli had paid the former secretary compensation of 200 thousand euros.
In 2018 the media had talked about a case of alleged harassment suffered by Venturini in 2012 (there was no complaint). Then, the story was in practice overturned and the woman ended up under investigation for extortion, together with Rivolta with the role of alleged intermediary, because they were accused of having hatched a plan against Sangalli (he has always denied alleged episodes of harassment), among which she would have returned that donation of money to the woman in January 2018. The prosecutor had also requested and obtained from the investigating judge a seizure of 216 thousand euros against the former secretary.
With the verdict arrived today, after the conclusions of the civil party and defenses, the accusation for the two defendants was ‘canceled’ and the judge also ordered the revocation of the seizure with immediate return of the money to Venturini. (HANDLE).
Source: Ansa
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