Anne Hathaway’s ex likely to take a plea bargain soon!
Posted on September 9th, 2008 by Hot Momma
Anne Hathaway’s recent ex Raffaello Follieri, is reportedly near an agreement to plead out to charges of money-laundering and fraud. His tale of rags to riches is like a Lifetime movie. Arriving in the U.S. as a little-known but charming twenty-five year-old in 2003, Follieri became friendly with Douglas Band, the top aide to former President Bill Clinton. That helped Mr. Follieri navigate into the upper reaches of Mr. Clinton’s world, and meet Mr. Burkle. He persuaded Mr. Burkle to form a venture to purchase real estate from the Catholic Church in the U.S.
Soon, he was flying on private jets, vacationing on Mediterranean yachts and sharing a $37,000-a-month Manhattan penthouse with his then-girlfriend, actress Anne Hathaway. He hosted John McCain, now the Republican presidential nominee, on a rented yacht off the coast of Montenegro and looked at possible business deals with a consulting firm partly owned by a top McCain presidential-campaign adviser.
The 30-year-old Italian entrepreneur attracted unwanted attention for business dealings with billionaire Ron Burkle. Mr. Burkle’s Yucaipa investment operation filed a lawsuit in Delaware state court that accused the Italian of misappropriating more than $1.3 million from their real-estate venture to finance personal expenses, such as private jets and a Manhattan penthouse. The venture was supposed to capitalize on Mr. Follieri’s Vatican ties to redevelop surplus Catholic Church properties. Follieri was charged in June with money-laundering and fraud, and is currently in custody in New York in lieu of a $21 million bail. He could face roughly four to five years in prison under the proposed plea agreement, says a person familiar with the matter.
A court hearing on his case could take place as early as today. In a recent court filing, prosecutors said plea negotiations were being conducted in connection with the 12-count criminal complaint filed in June that charges Mr. Follieri with fraud in his business venture with Mr. Burkle.
Follieri is weighing whether to enter a guilty plea, say people familiar with the matter. There remains a possibility Mr. Follieri could decide to go to trial.
No comments yet.