The ongoing inheritance dispute over the fortune of the late Italian industrialist Gianni Agnelli has entered a new chapter as a villa in Morocco becomes entangled in the legal proceedings. Agnelli, the former head of automaker Fiat and patriarch of one of Italy's most prominent families, passed away in 2003, setting the stage for a complex battle over his estate. The conflict, which began after the death of Agnelli's widow, Marella Caracciolo, in 2019, pits his daughter Margherita against his grandchildren John, Lapo, and Ginevra Elkann. The latest developments, as reported by the Italian newspaper Torinocronaca in 2024, center on a property in Ain Kassim near Marrakech that was a frequent retreat for Caracciolo. According to the report, the villa was not owned directly by Caracciolo but through a Luxembourg-based company called Juky SA. Italian authorities allege that a €15 million credit owed to Juky SA by Caracciolo was not properly declared for tax purposes when the Elkann siblings inherited shares in the company following her death. The dispute over the Moroccan property is part of a broader tax fraud investigation launched by Italian authorities, who are pursuing at least €170 million in assets from the Agnelli estate that they claim were improperly hidden from taxation. While the Elkanns maintain their innocence, investigators allege the €15 million credit tied to the Moroccan villa was improperly shielded from inheritance taxes in Italy. With €74 million in assets already preventatively seized, the investigation continues.
