philip delves broughton on the potential scandal that links a young Hollywood actress with Bill and Hillary Clinton |
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Just about the last thing the Clintons need now is a financial scandal. Last week, they liquidated as much as $25m worth of stocks in blue chip American companies to protect Hillary from accusations of corporate favoritism during her campaign for the presidency.
Now, the investment fund Bill is involved in is suing a property firm with close ties to the Vatican, accusing its chief executive of frittering away the company's money on his movie star girlfriend.
The Follieri Group was set up in 2003 by a wealthy Italian businessman, Pasquale Follieri, and his son Raffaello, with a unique business plan. It would take advantage of its special ties to the Vatican to buy up property from Catholic dioceses in the United States. Many of these dioceses were financially devastated after having to pay hundreds of |
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| Anne Hathaway said Raffaello Follieri was the first ‘real man’ she had known |
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millions of dollars in settlements for child abuse cases and seeing their congregations dwindle.
The Follieri Group leapt into the breach, promising to redevelop the property in a 'socially responsible' manner and in accordance with Catholic principles, building schools, low-cost housing and clinics. It would then use part of the profits from these ventures to fund a foundation providing scholarships and health care for Catholic children in the US and abroad. The group's best asset was a senior adviser whose uncle was Cardinal Sodano, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, the number two to the Pope.
The 29-year-old Raffaello set to work, installing himself in an apartment in Trump Tower and becoming a fixture of New York society. Soon after his arrival in the city, he began to date Anne Hathaway (left, with Raffaello Follieri), the actress who starred in The Devil Wears Prada. The two of them made a trip to Nicaragua in 2006 to donate hepatitis A vaccines to children. Hathaway  |
