Lecce Court of Appeal ends long-running tax fraud case

The Lecce Court of Appeal has officially concluded a long-running judicial case involving 14 entrepreneurs, primarily from Francavilla Fontana, regarding alleged tax fraud. The investigation, which began in 2017, centered on suspected fraudulent tax compensations through the use of non-existent tax credits managed by an accountant.

In February 2022, the Court of Brindisi acquitted all defendants, ruling that the alleged actions did not constitute a crime. The court found that the entrepreneurs had delegated their accounting and tax compliance to a professional and were unaware of any irregularities. Following this, the court ordered the release of seized assets and bank accounts.

The prosecutor's office appealed the acquittal, seeking convictions. However, on September 10, 2026, the Lecce Court of Appeal declared the appeal inadmissible due to a lack of interest, noting that the statute of limitations had expired for all crimes involved.