Meloni scraps plan to sell official gifts after criminal probe into auction house

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s plan to sell gifts received while in office fell apart before the first gavel strike, after the chosen auction house was snared in a criminal investigation.

Bertolami Fine Art, selected to handle the sale, is under investigation as part of a long-running probe into the alleged illegal trafficking of archaeological artifacts. The company’s founder and owner has been placed under a suspension order, according to Italian media reports, in connection with the case.

Prosecutors allege that a network of traffickers stole archaeological objects and funneled them through auction houses, including Bertolami, to launder the items and reintroduce them into the legal art market. Bertolami has denied wrongdoing in the past.

Meloni’s office said it was not aware of the investigation at the time of the appointment, noting that the inquiry was subject to judicial confidentiality. Palazzo Chigi said it severed ties with the auction house immediately after details of the case were reported by Il Fatto Quotidiano.

Under Italian law, the prime minister cannot personally keep gifts valued at more than €300 received from foreign leaders. As a result, most such items are stored in a secure room at Palazzo Chigi and are not publicly displayed. There is no official inventory.

Some gifts received by Meloni have nevertheless drawn public attention, including an action figurine presented by chainsaw-wielding Argentine President Javier Milei and a diamond, gold and citrine quartz necklace given during a state visit to Uzbekistan in January 2023 by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The now-canceled auction was expected to raise around €800,000, with the bulk of the proceeds earmarked for charitable organizations. A smaller portion was intended to cover the auction house’s fees.