A €20 million real estate asset has been preemptively seized in an investigation by the Florence prosecutor's office, which believes it was the proceeds of money laundering and self-laundering against actress Ursula Andress, the injured party.

The investigation stems from the victim's complaint to the judicial authorities of the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, alleging the progressive depletion of her assets, which, according to the prosecution, was being carried out by those responsible for managing the actress's finances. The Guardia di Finanza seized 11 prestigious properties and 14 plots of land with vineyards and olive groves in the countryside of San Casciano Val di Pesa, as well as works of art.

The massive seizure was carried out this morning on the Palazzo al Bosco estate, a space dedicated to contemporary culture in the hills of San Casciano Val di Pesa, near Florence. It also seized several works of art collected by Carolina and Eric Freymond, the latter a former wealth manager for Ursula Andress who committed suicide in 2025. According to the Florence Anti-Mafia Directorate (DDA), the proceeds of the fraud against the famous actress were invested in the management of the real estate complex, which includes the villa and an 18-hectare estate, and in the purchase of several paintings. For this reason, the widow of the financial advisor is under investigation for money laundering and self-laundering. Two other professionals are also being investigated by Swiss authorities for fraud. The case stems from a complaint filed in recent months by Ursula Andress, now 90, who held her former financial advisor responsible for the depletion of her assets due to shady investments.

Investigations by the Public Prosecutor of the Canton of Vaud have "outlined a picture characterized by the systematic diversion of financial resources, estimated at approximately CHF 18,000,000 (approximately €20 million)." The investigation revealed that the investments ended up in a money laundering operation in the province of Florence, in San Casciano Val di Pesa. The Florence Anti-Mafia Directorate (DDA) has opened an investigation. The Financial and Economic Police Unit of the Guardia di Finanza (GFD) has reconstructed the entire chain of illicit funds through in-depth document analysis, bank investigations, corporate reconstructions, and cross-referencing of asset and financial data. Using the most advanced anti-money laundering methodologies, the investigation focuses on reconstructing the so-called "paper trail," which allows for the tracing of the misappropriated funds and their progressive reinvestment in high-value goods and assets. The incident, the Guardia di Finanza commented, demonstrates how Tuscany, and Florence and its surrounding area in particular, are exposed to the risk of reinvestment of illicit capital.

(Unioneonline)

© Riproduzione riservata