«Undoubted obstinacy in achieving further profit». If there is one thing that struck me, in the whole affair of the Agnelli inheritance, it is this sentence that the judge writes in the 99-page decree ordering the seizure of 74 million euros from John, Lapo and Ginevra Elkann, the three nephews of the lawyer, accused of having stolen money from the state through massive tax evasion. Naturally, it will be the magistrate who decides, the subsequent developments of the story will tell what will happen (will John be forced to resign? Will control of the group also be called into question?), but one thing, in the long and intricate story, is now evident: these heirs of the Lambs are truly as voracious as wolves. Born lucky, on a cloud of billions, spoiled among chalets in Saint Moritz and paintings by Picasso, rich without merit, powerful without having the ability, they are not satisfied with what benign fate has reserved for them but always want more, with limitless greed. And justice will decide if all this is a crime. But that’s enough for us to say that it’s a shame: so much pettiness so covered in gold.
In those 99 pages there is the story of the tricks that the grandchildren, especially John Elkann, they implement to try to circumvent the tax authorities. As is known, it was necessary to make grandmother Marella appear to be resident in Switzerland, even if in reality she spent most of her time between Turin and Marrakech. So fake books are written and employees are trafficked to “guard the Swiss residence”. Then the offshore accounts appear in Nassau, in the Bahamas, and the funds in Luxembourg, the “fraud vademecum” (a note in which precise instructions are given for circumventing the tax authorities at the time of Marella’s passing), the apocryphal signatures on the wills and then the masterpiece, the timely “reclassification” of inherited assets as gifts received before death, so as not to have to pay inheritance tax. There are long lists of paintings and jewels, which miraculously transform into ancient birthday, Christmas or baptism gifts…
«Isn’t it a good idea to put some gifts on the list before 2009 too?», a secretary asks John Elkann thoughtfully. «And the jewels given to Lavinia (John’s wife, ed) and not to her? As for those in Geneva, can we give Giovanni a couple of things (pocket watch and gold dollar)? In this way the alleged evasive little brothers divide among other things a painting by Andy Warhol worth 10 million euros, a Monet worth 17.5 million euros, a ring by Bulgari worth 2.5 million euros, three paintings by Francis Bacon worth 12 million euros, a diamond pendant worth five million euros and a pair of Harry Winston earrings in fancy blue diamonds worth no less than 78 million euros. In total, the Lawyer’s three grandchildren inherit 170 million euros, in addition to everything else. A fortune. And how is it possible that someone with such luck then slips into greed? How is it possible that he is not satisfied and always seeks further earnings?
The same goes not only for John, Lapo and Ginevra, but also for their mother, Margherita, the one who reported them. With the famous agreement of February 2004, after the death of her father Gianni, Margherita had obtained 1.3 billion euros (not bruscolini) and in exchange had agreed to renounce her mother Marella’s inheritance. Then he contested everything, effectively opening the long legal case. But what drives a mother, with 1.3 billion in the safe, to take her children to court? What drives you to pit children (from your first bed) against children (from your second bed)? What drives her to spend the last years of her life glaring at her loved ones? To get more earnings? But what further gain, for those who already have unlimited assets without having any merit, can compensate for the destruction of serenity in the family?
This is what leaves me stunned in the intricate war between courts, complaints and betrayed agreements. How can human greed get to this point? It has been said that this affair will eventually overwhelm the history of the Agnellis. What was once the royal house of Turin, the sovereigns of the Republic, those who gave lessons in style and etiquette, are now rolling in the mud of their own pettiness. With the children accusing their mother of having beaten them, the mother taking her children to court on charges of evasion, their mutual weaknesses fed to the press together with the weaknesses of their ancestors, without sparing anyone, neither the Lawyer nor Donna Marella who now find themselves shamed among tax evasions and offshore funds. In the end a question: is it worth it? Honestly, I wonder: is the money worth all this? Can one be dragged this far by greed? To the point of destroying one’s life and family? Of course: they are rich, very rich, they have Monets and Picassos, and earrings worth 78 million euros. But I swear to you that I have never seen such misery.
