Legal proceedings involving the Berlusconi family

Legal challenges involving members of the Berlusconi family have reached conclusions in Italian and European courts.

The European Court of Human Rights unanimously ruled that the legal proceedings regarding Silvio Berlusconi’s 2013 tax fraud conviction were fair. This decision follows an appeal by his heirs, who alleged that the conviction, which involved the purchase of television rights through Mediaset, violated his right to a fair trial. The court found no evidence of prejudice regarding the impartiality of the judicial panel and dismissed other claims as unfounded or untimely. The ruling upholds the original conviction that led to his removal from public office.

Separately, the Italian Court of Cassation has definitively rejected a final legal appeal by Giacomo Canale, a former chef for Pier Silvio Berlusconi. Canale had sought over 680,000 euros in compensation for alleged unpaid overtime, lack of rest, and physical and psychological damages during his eleven years of service at the Berlusconi family estate and on their yachts.

The court upheld a previous ruling from the Court of Appeal of Genoa, dismissing the grounds for appeal as either inadmissible or unfounded. Judges noted that Canale’s own testimony indicated a work schedule that was compatible with regular rest, and that his remuneration already included a lump-sum allowance for overtime. Following this final ruling, Canale has been ordered to pay legal costs, which are reportedly to be donated to charitable associations in Viareggio.