The British estate agent, Wendy Smith, has so far managed to avoid the consequences of conviction for embezzlement relating to property sales in Lunigiana. Now she may finally go to jail if she fails to pay back the money embezzled, together with damages and legal costs, in the latest case brought against her by Keir Mitchell, a British expat.
Wendy Smith, through her estate agency Focus in Aulla, started defrauding British expats as far back as 2003 by selling them land unsuitable for building. Many cases have not gone to court for various reasons, and despite successful convictions over the years and more cases pending, Wendy Smith has yet to spend time in jail and the fines she has incurred have been minimal. None of the considerable amount of embezzled money has been returned, nor damages and legal expenses paid. Her tactics appear to be the same as Berlusconi’s – delay by failing to turn up in court and by appealing until the statue of limitations runs out.
But time may finally have run out for Wendy Smith. On 2 March 2012, the judge in the Pontremoli court gave her three months to appeal rather than the normal 18 months. If she doesn’t appeal, the sentence is precise and simple, either pay up or go to prison.
While this case does not end the many outstanding charges against Wendy Smith, it does look like this time the sentence may be implemented, a move that will be highly welcomed by the expat community in Lunigiana.
Is time up for British estate agent Wendy Smith convicted of embezzlement? appeared on Ciao Lunigiana on 3 March 2012. All rights reserved.
You may also be interested in this report on Wendy Smith that appeared on Ciao Lunigiana in December 2010.
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