Italian Supreme Court upholds verdict on confiscation of $55mln from Lega party

The Italian Supreme Court of Cassation upheld an earlier court verdict to seize 49 million euros (around $55 million) from the accounts of Italy's Lega party, part of the ruling coalition, in party founder Umberto Bossi's fraud case, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

The Supreme Court of Cassation also decided on Tuesday to release Bossi and Lega’s former Treasurer Francesco Belsito from criminal prosecution as part of the fraud case due to expiration of the limitation period, the ANSA news agency reported.

Belsito is now accused only of misappropriating funds and the case will be heard by the court of appeal of Genoa.

In July 2017, Bossi and Belsito were convicted of using public funds for personal expenses with the Lega’s former leader having been sentenced to over two years in jail. The sentenced was later mitigated and after the 2018 general election, Bossi became a member of the Senate again.

The corruption scandal urged Bossi to leave the post of the Lega head in 2012.