Audio By Carbonatix
The chair of Ferrari and Stellantis has agreed to do one year of community service and jointly pay millions of euros to settle a dispute over inheritance tax in Italy.
John Elkann and his siblings Lapo and Ginerva will pay €183m (£159m) to Italian tax authorities, Italian prosecutors said, according to multiple media reports.
Mr Elkann's lawyer said the agreement did not include an admission of liability from the Ferrari chair and his siblings.
He said the prosecutors' decisions were an opportunity to bring "this painful affair to a swift and definitive close".
Mr Elkann, a member of one of the most powerful families in Italy, is the grandson of Gianni Agnelli, the former boss of Fiat.
The tax dispute relates to the estate of Mr Elkann's grandmother, Marella Caracciolo, who died in 2019.
Mr Elkann will need to suggest where he could do his community service, which Reuters reported could include helping at a centre for the elderly or a centre helping people with drug addiction.
Paolo Siniscalchi, the Elkanns' attorney, said in a statement to the BBC: "John Elkann's request for probation must be viewed in this context and does not entail, just as the settlement with the tax authorities does not, any admission of responsibility.
"If this request is granted, the proceedings against him will be suspended, and upon the successful completion of the probationary period, will conclude with a ruling extinguishing all the charges for which John Elkann is currently under investigation.
"This outcome would mirror that of his siblings Ginevra and Lapo, for whom dismissal of charges has been requested."
Prosecutors had alleged the Elkann siblings failed to declare roughly €1bn in assets and €248.5m in income, on the basis their grandmother was a Swiss resident.
Prosecutors on Monday accepted the agreement to pay millions, and have asked the judge to drop a criminal case against Mr Elkann's brother and sister, which was dismissed.
The case stems from a wider dispute between the Elkann siblings and their mother, Margherita Agnelli over the estate of Gianni Agnelli. A civil case is ongoing.
Mr Agnelli died more than 20 years ago after building Fiat up from a small car manufacturer into a major conglomerate.
Ms Agnelli, who inherited €1.2bn euros, has been fighting to overturn agreements she signed in 2004 after her father's death in an attempt to ensure that money goes to her five children from a second marriage and not to her three eldest.
Ms Agnelli's lawyers said in a statement that they welcomed the outcome of these tax and criminal proceedings.
Mr Elkann is the oldest of Ms Agnelli's children. He has been chair of Stellantis since 2021, and became chair of Ferrari in 2018, according to Stellantis.
He first joined Fiat's board in 1997 and was previously the company's chair.
Latest Stories
-
GPL 2026/27: Medeama ease past Basake Holy Stars
7 minutes -
Appiah Adomako writes: Why DVLA must stop treating every expired licence holder as delinquent
10 minutes -
Localization must transfer decision-making power, not just project responsibilities
19 minutes -
Modernising Ghana’s traditional markets through the 24-Hour Economy markets initiative
22 minutes -
New economy will boost local production and create jobs – Finance Minister
28 minutes -
Real-Time VAT on cross-border digital services – not a new tax and does not violate double taxation principle
1 hour -
Digitalisation, AI key to Ghana’s tourism transformation – GHATOF
1 hour -
Stronger GTA-private sector partnership needed to grow tourism – GHATOF
2 hours -
Amazon eyes Ghana for broadband expansion after talks with Mahama
2 hours -
National Investment Quiz 2026: Six schools qualify for quarter-finals
3 hours -
‘Do not let Russia pay for its madness with lives of your people’ – Zelensky to Ghana, 46 other countries
3 hours -
6,079 promotion cases fully processed and paid – CAGD says amid nationwide teachers’ strike
3 hours -
Teacher unions to meet government Monday over nationwide strike
4 hours -
Photo story: Republic Bank-JoyNews Habitat Fair clinic wraps up after three days of housing solutions, expert engagement
4 hours -
National Peace Council urges investment in youth to sustain Ghana’s peace
4 hours