A new and intense phase of the long-standing hereditary dispute in the Agnelli family appears to be commencing, triggered by an unknown note from the patriarch, Gianni Agnelli, dating back to 1998, which—according to his daughter, Margherita Agnelli de Pahlen—constitutes a draft will that was never executed.
Margherita, 69, claims that this document proves her father intended to leave her 25% of the family fortune, via a share in the company Dicembre, the precursor to the current Exor group, which controls stakes in Stellantis, Ferrari, and other companies. She also implies that the handwritten note was deliberately made to disappear, accusing her three children—John, Lapo, and Ginevra Elkann—of concealing the document.
According to Bloomberg estimates, the wealth of the Agnelli dynasty exceeds €12 billion, while the value of Exor reaches €60 billion. Despite the fact that in 2004, Margherita had accepted a settlement of €1.2 billion to waive further claims, she now states she is determined to legally re-examine the agreement, citing this “disruptive” document.
John Elkann, the family’s strongman and head of Stellantis and Ferrari, is considered his mother’s main opponent. Since 2004, he has led Exor, through which he controls stakes in global giants such as FIAT, the Economist, and Juventus. His circle dismisses the significance of the handwritten note, characterising it as “scrap paper with no legal value.” Conversely, Margherita’s lawyers believe it could change the facts of the case.
The conflict reignites a history of internal family discord that has lasted over 20 years, since Gianni Agnelli’s death in 2003. Since then, Margherita has repeatedly appealed to the courts, claiming she was deceived by her children and her mother, while the Elkann siblings have been accused of tax violations and asset concealment.
In 2023, her children reached a settlement with the Italian state, paying €183 million for tax omissions related to their grandfather’s estate. Although they declare themselves innocent, they agreed to perform community service, a fact that, according to Italian media, seems to satisfy Margherita’s insistence on being morally vindicated.
The case, which combines inheritance, business, and personal passions, remains ongoing, with observers estimating that it could lead to a new judicial cycle surrounding the fortune of Italy’s most iconic business family.
(Information from protothema.gr)
