Finance
Italian judge rules Agnelli scion Elkann can't close tax fraud case with community service
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 11, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 11, 2026
Home > Finance > Italian judge rules Agnelli scion Elkann can't close tax fraud case with community service
Quick Summary
An Italian judge denied John Elkann's request to settle a tax fraud case with community service, involving the Agnelli family inheritance.
Judge Denies Elkann's Request to Resolve Tax Fraud Case with Community Service
Elkann's Tax Fraud Case Overview
MILAN, Feb 11 (Reuters) - An Italian judge on Wednesday rejected a request from John Elkann, scion of the Agnelli family and chairman of automakers Stellantis and Ferrari, to settle a tax fraud case by doing a period of community service.
Elkann, 49, is the CEO of family holding company Exor and the tax fraud allegations regard the inheritance of his grandmother.
In September 2025, with the backing of Turin prosecutors, he proposed to do one year of community service and, along with siblings Lapo and Ginevra, to pay a negotiated sum of 183 million euros ($218 million) to close the case.
Judge's Rejection of Community Service
The community service proposal was submitted to a pre-trial judge in Turin, who rejected it on Wednesday, meaning the case will probably go to court.
The judge's rejection did not affect the financial settlement, with the Elkanns having already paid to close the administrative, rather than the penal side of the dispute.
Background of the Inheritance Dispute
If the trial goes ahead, "we will demonstrate that John Elkann didn't do anything," lawyers Paolo Siniscalchi and Federico Cecconi said in a joint statement.
Elkann is embroiled in a complicated dispute over the estate of his grandfather, Gianni Agnelli, the celebrated former Fiat boss who died in 2003, and of Agnelli's late wife Marella Caracciolo, who passed away in 2019.
In December, a Turin judge ordered prosecutors to seek Elkann's indictment on two counts of tax fraud, dismissing a prosecution request for charges to be dropped.
Legal Implications and Next Steps
The inheritance battle, which has divided one of Italy's best known business dynasties, pits Elkann's mother Margherita Agnelli, who inherited 1.2 billion euros, against three of her eight children including her eldest, John.
In an ongoing civil case, Margherita is fighting to overturn agreements she signed in 2004 in an attempt to ensure that money inherited from her parents also goes to the five children she had from a second marriage.
($1 = 0.8403 euros)
(Reporting by Emilio Parodi, additional reporting by Giulio Piovaccari, editing by Gavin Jones and Toby Chopra)
Key Takeaways
- •John Elkann's request for community service in a tax fraud case was denied.
- •The case involves inheritance from Elkann's grandmother.
- •The Elkanns have paid a financial settlement for the administrative side.
- •The case could proceed to court following the judge's decision.
- •The inheritance dispute involves Elkann's mother and siblings.
Frequently Asked Questions about Italian judge rules Agnelli scion Elkann can't close tax fraud case with community service
1What is tax fraud?
Tax fraud is the illegal act of deliberately falsifying information on a tax return to reduce tax liability or avoid paying taxes altogether.
2What is community service?
Community service is a form of punishment where an individual is required to perform a certain number of hours of unpaid work for the benefit of the community.
3What is an inheritance dispute?
An inheritance dispute arises when there are disagreements among heirs or beneficiaries regarding the distribution of a deceased person's estate.
4What is a pre-trial judge?
A pre-trial judge is a judicial officer who oversees the legal proceedings before a trial begins, including motions and hearings related to the case.
