David Mills financial allegations

A series of financial allegations concerning British corporate lawyer David Mills came under investigation in 2006 by Italian authorities, who suspected him of corruptly receiving £340,000 from Silvio Berlusconi in the 1990s. As he was married at the time to Tessa Jowell, the then United Kingdom Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, some newspapers termed the accusations Jowellgate.[1]

History

Jowell married Mills, an international corporate lawyer, in 1979. In the early 1990s, Mills acted for Berlusconi, then a high-profile businessman and former Prime Minister of Italy.[2] During his work for Berlusconi, Mills received $600,000 (£340,000);[3] the precise source of the money and the reason for its payment was under dispute, with Mills saying that the money was part of a larger amount paid indirectly to him by another Italian client, Diego Attanasio, although Attanasio denied this claim when found in London on 2 March (between custodial sentences for bribery and corruption).[4]

Mills was investigated in Italy for money laundering and alleged tax fraud. On 10 March 2006, Italian prosecuting magistrates decided that they had sufficient evidence to ask a judge to indict Berlusconi and Mills.[5] The judgement was appealed by Mills. On 27 October 2009, the Appeal Court upheld his first-instance trial conviction and his sentence of 4½ years prison. He confirmed that he would initiate a second and final appeal to the Italy's Supreme Court of Cassation.[6] On 25 February 2010, the Supreme Court of Cassation (the second and last court of appeal under Italian law) annulled the conviction because the statute of limitations had expired.[7][8]

Procedural changes

Sir Alistair Graham, chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life from 2003 to 2007, said the controversy over Jowell highlighted the problem that public trust was being undermined by the way alleged misconduct by ministers was policed. He stated that he was "puzzled" by the Prime Minister's reluctance to change the rules.[9][10] On 16 March 2006, Blair announced that a new independent figure would advise ministers on potential clashes between their public duties and private affairs and investigate potential breaches of the ministerial code of conduct. The Prime Minister would continue to have the final say on taking action.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Jowellgate timeline". The Telegraph. London. 10 March 2006. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  2. ^ Barnett, Antony (16 February 2003). "Labour link to Berlusconi cash probe". The Observer. London. ISSN 0029-7712. Archived from the original on 28 August 2003. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  3. ^ "Focus: The minister and the £350,000 gift". The Times. 26 February 2006. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 13 January 2008.
  4. ^ Hooper, John; Laville, Sandra (2 March 2006). "Alleged source of cash found in London". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  5. ^ "Italy bid for PM corruption trial". BBC News. 10 March 2006. Archived from the original on 24 April 2006.
  6. ^ Dinmore, Guy (28 October 2009). "Italian judges reject Mills appeal". Financial Times. ISSN 0307-1766. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  7. ^ "David Mills bribery conviction quashed by appeals court". BBC News. 25 February 2010. Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  8. ^ Agnew, Paddy (27 February 2010). "Mills decision a boost for Berlusconi". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 29 October 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  9. ^ "U.K. Panel Attacks Blair's Power to Judge Ministerial Conduct". Bloomberg Television. 8 March 2006. Archived from the original on 15 December 2004.
  10. ^ "Blair criticised on sleaze probes". BBC News. 9 March 2006. Archived from the original on 12 November 2006. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  11. ^ "Rules for ministers face shake up". BBC News. 16 March 2006. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
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