Rome – A man was arrested and another reported by the Carabinieri of the provincial command of Rome following a scam to the detriment of Federica Burger, 85 years old, wife of the famous director Enrico Vanzina.
The episode dates back to last Friday, when the woman was tricked by individuals posing as police officers, to whom she handed over jewelry and valuable objects.
According to the reconstruction of the investigators of the Compagnia Roma Centro, who started the investigations, the scam began with a phone call received by Mrs. Burger's housekeeper.
The criminals, pretending to be members of the Carabinieri, convinced the maid to go to the barracks, claiming that a car belonging to the family had been involved in an accident. In this way, Mrs. Burger remained alone in her luxury home, located in the Fontanella Borghese area, in the heart of the historic center of the Capital.
Shortly afterward, a man showed up at the woman's house, pretending to be a Carabinieri marshal. The fake soldier explained to Mrs. Burger that it was necessary to immediately pay for the damages caused by the accident and convinced her to open the home safe, handing over jewelry and other valuables.
Thanks to the timely intervention of investigators, a 23-year-old was stopped on the evening of the theft in the Capua area, in the province of Caserta. Part of the stolen goods was found in his car. The man was arrested on charges of aggravated fraud, while his accomplice, present in the car at the time of the stop, was reported.
The episode has brought the spotlight back on the phenomenon of scams against the elderly, often victims of well-orchestrated swindles. Investigations are continuing to ascertain any links with other similar operations and to reconstruct the entire dynamics of the incident.
Article published on March 17, 2025 - 15pm
