De Laurentiis on trial: Napoli lawyer hits out, cites Inter case | OneFootball

The criminal lawyer Fabio Fulgeri, a member of Napoli's defense team in the proceedings related to the Osimhen and Manolas operations, spoke to Radio Crc about the indictment of president Aurelio De Laurentiis. The case concerns the allegation of false accounting related to the valuation of certain market operations.

Indictment of De Laurentiis: Napoli's lawyer criticizes the GUP and recalls a similar case involving Inter

Fulgeri immediately expresses disappointment with the GUP's decision, emphasizing how the defense had provided a detailed dossier, supported by high-level technical consultations and a detailed financial reconstruction. According to the lawyer, the judge merely forwarded the acts to trial without fully analyzing the documentation produced:

“We were convinced that the materials were sufficiently clear. We had developed defense briefs and expert reports capable of disproving the Prosecutor's hypotheses. The GUP, however, played a merely notarial role. A Pilate-like decision is simpler: to indict, a single sentence suffices, while to issue a dismissal requires an in-depth analysis that, evidently, was not deemed feasible.”

The comparison with the previous Inter–Roma case

One of the elements the defense considers most relevant is the disparity in treatment compared to a similar case involving Inter a few years ago:

“Inter bought two players from Roma and the Milan prosecutors requested its dismissal, considering there were no criminal violations. Napoli did not receive the same evaluation, despite similar dynamics. It is hard not to notice this asymmetry.”

Fulgeri adds that other clubs involved in branches of the same investigation – such as Atalanta and Roma – obtained different outcomes, in some cases even more favorable, despite the same accusatory framework:

“Roma is under investigation in the original inquiry but was not indicted. Atalanta was acquitted. These are procedural anomalies that show how certain clubs manage to avoid judicial repercussions more easily than others.”

“No advantage for Napoli: the disputes concern accounting criteria”

The technical point raised by the defense team concerns the absence of an advantage for Napoli. Fulgeri clarifies that, in theory, false accounting can occur even if the benefit is perceived by a counterpart. However, in the Osimhen and Manolas cases, there are no elements suggesting secret agreements between the involved clubs:

“The alleged advantage, following the accusatory theory, would have gone to Lille for Osimhen or to Roma for Manolas. But there is no trace of agreements or coordinated behaviors. The operations were contested only on the basis of the applied accounting criteria.”

Implicit criticisms of the judicial system and the media

Fulgeri also adopts critical tones towards the Italian procedural system, arguing that indictment is often used as a convenient formula when the judge does not wish to take responsibility for a more definitive decision:

“Despite the Cartabia reform, many trials follow pre-written paths. In this case, the media climate also had an impact, because a dismissal would have exposed the magistrate to criticism.”

However, the lawyer reaffirms trust in the good faith of the judiciary and rejects the idea that there are personal relationships or internal dynamics capable of influencing the outcomes of the proceedings.

The defense's certainty: “I would bet blindly on a positive outcome”

Despite the bitterness over the preliminary phase, Fulgeri remains optimistic about the trial:

“The trial will be evaluated by a panel and there will finally be a real confrontation on the evidence. If I had to bet on the outcome, I would do it blindly. The solidity of our arguments is evident.”

No reopening of the sports trial

The lawyer decisively denies rumors of a possible reopening of the proceedings in the sports venue:

“It is false news. The terms have been defined for some time and the acts have been acquired by the competent Prosecutor, who has not deemed it necessary to reopen anything. Napoli did not receive any benefit from the contested operations. It would have been illogical to think of a reopening.”

De Laurentiis “calm and aware”

Fulgeri concludes with a comment on De Laurentiis’s state of mind:

“The president received the indictment with calmness. He knew it was among the possibilities of the procedural path. There is no conviction, the trial has yet to begin and we are convinced that the truth will emerge.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.