The main fraud trial of the 55 defendants involved in the collapse of Italian dairy giant Parmalat, has started in Parma, but without the group's founder Calisto Tanzi appearing in court.
The lawyers for Tanzi said he would appear for later hearings even though his health was ‘precarious’. Gianpiero Biancolella, one of the defence lawyers, said Tanzi was ‘at home, being a grandfather’, The Times reports.
The lawyers said Tanzi had ‘assumed his responsibilities’ and ‘offered his apologies’, but noted that ‘all those who contributed to making savers the victims must be held accountable’.
The trial, a merger of five smaller trials into one main trial, which is expected to last up to three years because of its complexity, has been adjourned until May.
Further reading:
Parmalat trial starts as 50 face fraud charges
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