Con artists ‘sold’ US embassy in Rome

London, March 19: Four con artists have gone on trial for allegedly duping a German businessman of 1.3 million by pretending to sell him key buildings in Rome, including the US embassy and the UN food agency headquarters.

Wolfang Kroll, 57, appeared in a court along with three accomplices last week, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

The group is accused of tricking the businessman to shelling out 1.3 million in a series of fake deals to buy key buildings in Rome.

Kroll, also German, and his accomplice Donato Perazzolo were able to convince their victim to send 400,000 to buy the Porta di Roma shopping centre.

The duo then took the help of Walter Baccini, who impersonated a government official, and Anna Lisa Morganti to "sell" the US embassybuilding for 580,000,and the headquarters of FAO for 600,000.

The businessman transferred a further 900,000 to the group.

PTI