Italian prosecutors have cleared a presidential pardon for Nicole Minetti, a former associate of Silvio Berlusconi, finding no wrongdoing in her application or the recognition of her child's adoption.
The investigation's findings uphold the legitimacy of the presidential pardon, closing a politically charged case that had raised questions about the justice system's integrity and the criteria for granting clemency.
Italian prosecutors have cleared a presidential pardon granted to Nicole Minetti, a former associate of the late Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Minetti had been sentenced to a cumulative term of over three years in jail for procuring sex workers for Berlusconi's parties and for misuse of public funds. She appealed for a presidential pardon on humanitarian grounds, citing the poor health of her adopted child. The pardon, granted in February, later faced scrutiny following media reports alleging inconsistencies in her case and questions over the adoption of her child in Uruguay. In an unusual move, President Sergio Mattarella requested the justice ministry to investigate. The prosecutor general's office in Milan concluded that the reported facts did not correspond to the truth and found no elements conflicting with existing evidence. Authorities confirmed the adoption was lawfully recognised in Italy and that there were no pending investigations involving Minetti abroad. The serious medical condition of the adopted child, requiring treatment at Boston Children's Hospital, was also confirmed. The findings effectively remove grounds for revisiting the pardon decision. Opposition politicians had previously called for the resignation of Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, who had recommended clemency, citing concerns about the assessment process for pardon requests.
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