Assets of fake teacher who amassed $400,000 in assets with forged documents held in Italy

Following accusations of using a fraudulent document to get a job, the assets of a veteran high school teacher have been confiscated by Italian financial police. Financial police have seized nearly $400,000 in assets after the teacher allegedly presented the false qualifications document which was necessary for her profession. For the past 21 years, the woman has worked as a teacher as well as a substitute teacher in Varese. Salaries, unemployment benefits, and severance pay were among the confiscated assets, according to a statement issued by the financial police on January 15. 

Further, police also confiscated eight plots of land, a nine-bedroom apartment, two garages, a motorcycle and a car, along with $189,000 in savings and bank accounts, according to police. On January 15, the Financial Police shared a video of the seizures online, Newsweek reported.  

The teacher had never studied at the university where she claimed

According to the authorities, the fake teacher had never studied at the university where she claimed to have received a degree with honours. The Financial Police or Guardia di Finanza further stated that the economic-financial police's actions were directed at verifying and confirming the degree certificate of the teacher which she provided to schools. However, the documents turned out to be fake since the teacher had never even registered at the university, as she attested. The Police went on to say, “The reconstruction of the (money) accumulated illegally by the suspect.” 

Following this, the Financial Police stated that the office of Public Prosecutor had introduced the operation, which was conducted from an administrative-tax and criminal standpoint, “with the preventive seizure of assets for the purpose of confiscation, which, in the event of a conviction, will allow the assets seized in advance for a value equivalent to the sum unduly received by the suspect to be assigned to the treasury," citing Financial Police of Italy, Newsweek reported.  

In addition to this, the financial police noted that the fake teacher was reported to the Varese Judicial Authority for forgery and for the use of false documents after obtaining placement in the regional substitute rankings in school systems located in the province of Varese since 2000. She has continued to be a substitute in numerous local schools utilising that false degree. However, it has been unclear whether the lady has been prosecuted officially. Till now, no court appearances had been set. 

(Image: AP/ Unsplash/ Representative Image)