The Genoa court of appeal rejected the request made by Flavio Briatore to obtain 12 million from the state after the definitive acquittal for the Force Blue affair.
The entrepreneur had been acquitted of all charges but before the final sentence the mega yacht had been seized and sold at auction for 6 million to Bernie Ecclestone.
However, Briatore's lawyers had argued, supported by a court report, that the value of the boat was around 19 million. This is why the state was asked for the missing millions.
«It is significant - the judges wrote - that the same brokers operating internationally in the nautical sector who had abstractly estimated the price of a possible sale at 15 million euros (the price of 19 million euros was indicated only as a so-called market asking price, i.e. the price requested by the seller), then recommended - on the basis of the concrete characteristics of the vessel, of its not well-known brand and to be traced back to a shipyard that has ceased activity, of the necessarily limited time to proceed with the judicial sale without incurring in further losses, compared to a period normally employed of about 12-18 months - to fix a sale price not exceeding 7 million euros».
However, Briatore's lawyers have announced their intention to appeal to the Court of Cassation.
(Unioneonline/lf)