Italian businessman and the ex-boyfriend of actress Anne Hathaway, Raffaello Follieri, faces more than four years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud. Follieri entered a guilty plea in September for charges that he illegally took over $2 million from real estate investors. As reported by Reuters, the businessman falsely persuaded his victims that he could purchase the unwanted properties in the United States that belonged to the Roman Catholic Church for discounted rates.
Prosecutors in the case requested that Follieri be sentenced to up to 63 months, the typical federal guideline recommendation under the terms of his plea agreement. Prosecutors have accused Follieri of being motivated by greed and lying to investors about his ties to the Vatican as well as the vulnerability of the Catholic Church.
Follieri is set to be sentenced on October 23. His attorney is hoping he will only receive three years.
Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway dated the Italian businessman for several years before his arrest in June. Hathaway starred in popular films such as “The Devil Wears Prada” and “The Princess Diaries.”
