(ANSA) - Genoa, November 17 - A court on Wednesday handed
down a sentence of eight years and two months in prison for the
former president of medium-sized Genoa-based Carige bank,
Giovanni Berneschi.
"They might as well have shot me," commented Berneschi after
the verdict was read out.
Berneschi was arrested in the case in May 2014.
He and six others, who got shorter sentences, were are on
trial on charges of criminal association for purposes of fraud
and money-laundering to the detriment of the Genoa-based
lender's insurance branch, Carige Vita Nuova.
The defendants were found guilty of using the insurer to
purchase real estate and company shares from crooked businessmen
at inflated prices, and reinvesting the capital gains abroad.
Carige's Berneschi gets 8 yrs (2)
'They might as well have shot me' he comments