Fini brother-in-law, dad-in-law in money laundering probe

(ANSA) - Rome, December 13 - Sergio and Giancarlo Tulliani, father-in-law and brother-in-law of former House Speaker Gianfranco Fini, are among those probed in a Rome investigation into a money-laundering ring that saw the arrest of former MP Amedeo Laboccetta of Silvio Berlusconi's now-defunct People of Freedom (PdL) party among others, sources said Tuesday. Giancarlo Tulliani was linked to Fini's fall from grace after being Berlusconi's one-time heir-apparent, over a Monte Carlo house belonging to Fini's former post-Fascist party that was sold to Tulliani, and was the centre of a 2010 probe.
    According to prosecutors, Giancarlo Tulliani put at the disposal of one of those arrested, Rudolf Baetsen, linked to arrested businessman Franco Corallo, two offshore companies to launder money through the Antilles.
    Baetsen is accused of funding, via three offshore companies linked to Tulliani, the purchase of the Monte Carlo house that had been owned by Fini's now-defunct hard right National Alliance (AN) party.
    The ring allegedly laundered around the world taxes dodged from video lotteries and online betting.
    More than 200 agents of Italy's finance police conducted 80 searches of individuals and companies as part of the money-laundering probe by the Rome prosecutor's office in which 20 people are under investigation.
    The searches were conducted across Italy in connection with money laundering of more than 60 million euros by shell companies that allegedly issued false invoices.
    Additional companies are still being investigated and the total figure of money laundered may rise, investigators said.
    The organisation was based in Rome, police said.
    photo: Giancarlo Tulliani in 2000