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The attorney’s office of Lugano: there were no elements of a crime
Attel Bank, private banker Cerina acquitted
Milan – The Attel Bank case is closed after two years. Mr. Eggenschwiler, district attorney of Lugano, closed the Preliminary Investigation against the Swiss-Italian private banker Fabrizio Cerina acquitting him completely because – as the act says – “aside from the fact that he had repaid all customers, damaged by a former employee, Cerina’s behavior did not show any aspect of penal importance and did nor justify the continuation of the investigations”.
One and a half year ago, the banker reimbursed – being under this aspect the first such case in the financial history of Switzerland – all customers, damaged by the local manager of one of Attel Group’s companies.
When the crisis came out, the magistrate started an investigation against the directors of the holding company. Among them, besides Cerina, also is the cousin of the former French President François Giscard-d’Estaing. The news of the acquittal, that put an end to the whole criminal proceedings, arrived yesterday.
In the meantime, some industrial investments made in Latin America, United States and Switzerland, allowed Cerina to make up for most of the 45 billions (lira) he voluntarily reimbursed to his customers. In particular, “very good are the results of a Californian food company of his, the Fudgets Inc., that is going to come to Italy with a line of advanced dietetic products”.
Moreover, Cerina – who is also associate with the Austrian family Langes-Swarowski, the world leader producer of crystal objects – brokered and acquired some important states in the food industry in banks in Argentina.