(ANSA) - Rome, October 12 - Denis Verdini, a centrist politicians once close to ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi, was acquitted Friday of illicit party funding in the purchase of a property in central Rome in 2011 that earned a record profit of 18 million euros in a few hours.
    Former People of Freedom (pdL) coordinator Verdini, who has a string of other legal woes to his name, was found not guilty by a Rome court. The court sentenced former Forza Italia Senator Riccardo Conti to three years in jail.
    Conti was accused of aggravated fraud acting with Angelo Arcicasa, then president of the body that owned the building, ENPAP.
    Arcicasa got three years 10 months and 20 days.