Overview
- The preliminary hearing judge in Reggio Emilia cleared Sgarbi of the remaining laundering charge tied to Rutilio Manetti’s “The Capture of Saint Peter.”
- Prosecutors had requested three years and four months in prison and are weighing an appeal pending the written motivations.
- Two earlier allegations—cultural‑property counterfeiting and self‑laundering—had already been archived, leaving only the laundering count.
- The inquiry began after painter Lino Frongia told investigators and the programs Report and Il Fatto that he added a candle detail, as Carabinieri specialists alleged a 2013 theft and a 2021 reappearance via a 3D‑based reproduction shown in Lucca.
- Evidence collection was limited by expired investigative deadlines and disputed ownership, with purported owner Margherita Buzio declining to join the case as a civil party.