Former Italian Deputy Minister of Culture, Vittorio Sgarbi, has been acquitted of money laundering charges in connection with a 17th-century painting, following a preliminary hearing in Reggio Emilia. The painting, attributed to the Sienese Baroque artist Rutilio Manetti, had been stolen in 2013 from the Castello di Buriasco in the province of Turin.
In 2021, an identical work titled “The Capture of Saint Peter” was exhibited in Lucca as an unpublished piece owned by Sgarbi. The prosecution had requested a three-year prison sentence, arguing that the painting was the same stolen artwork. However, the judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence to convict Sgarbi.
Initially, Sgarbi also faced charges of forgery and self-laundering of cultural assets, but these accusations had already been dismissed earlier in the proceedings. According to investigative reports from Il Fatto Quotidiano and the television program Report, the painting displayed in Lucca was allegedly the same piece stolen from the Castello di Buriasco. Sgarbi, however, maintained that the stolen work was a copy of the original painting he owned, claiming that he had discovered it during the restoration of Villa Maidalchina in Viterbo—a property purchased by his mother in 2000.
The case had drawn significant media attention in Italy, reflecting broader concerns about the protection of cultural heritage and the black-market trade in artworks. Sgarbi, a well-known art critic, television personality, and politician, has long been a controversial figure in Italian culture, often sparking debate with his outspoken views on art and history.
This acquittal marks the end of a high-profile legal battle that had persisted for over a decade. Sgarbi expressed relief at the ruling and reaffirmed his commitment to promoting art and cultural preservation. The case has reignited public discussion about Italy’s responsibility in safeguarding its rich artistic legacy and preserving cultural properties are returned to their rightful places.
