Case File
Raffaello Follieri
- Top of the World
- At just 29 years old, Raffaello Follieri is at the top of his game. He has a successful real estate business, pulling in millions. He's hobnobbing with world leaders, and he's found love with Hollywood A-lister Anne Hathaway. He seems to have it all, but looks can be deceiving. His image soon will be shattered when he is revealed as a con man when a multi-million dollar fraud is exposed.
- Glamour and the Vatican
- In 2004, Follieri's company, the Follieri Group, plans to snap up distressed church property and flip it for a profit. He tells potential investors his connections at the Vatican can get him below-market prices. Successfully wooed, they give their money to Follieri, but behind the scenes, his business is failing. Follieri is burning through investor money, and has yet to snap up a church property.
- Meanwhile, he's racking up huge debts, and he's not meeting payroll. Disgruntled employees begin to feel the pinch, and the wild spending finally catches up to him.
- The Gig is Up
- Follieri's business partner Ron Burkle finally sues Follieri for misappropriating $1.3 million. Meanwhile, dozens of investors and creditors are hounding him. It all comes to a head when he is arrested on wire fraud and money laundering charges. Instead of spending his thirtieth birthday on the island of Capri as planned, he's behind bars with bail set at $21 million.And his girlfriend Anne Hathaway? She dumps him.
- And you won't believe what she does with her share of the $2.4 million in expensive watches and jewelry the federal government orders Follieri to forfeit.
