Iconic Italian actress faces jail after faces jail threat after attending Putin gala

Muti was reportedly due to perform on stage for three nights in December 2010 but called in sick and flew to St. Petersburg to attend the glamorous gala which also featured actor Kevin Costner as well as the Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to RT. 

The sick note at the center of the case said she was suffering from acute inflammation of the trachea, with a fever, a cough and a hoarse voice.  It prescribed five days rest and forbade the actress from using her voice.

Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation has now upheld a 2017 verdict convicting Ornella Muti of attempted fraud.  The ruling confirms her six-month suspended jail term, her €500 (US$560) fine and that she will have to pay the Verdi theatre in Pordenone €30,000 (US$33,715).

When photos emerged of the actress appearing at the same table as President Putin, the theatre took action, according to the BBC.

Ornella Muti, 64, is known outside Italy for films such as Flash Gordon and Oscar and continues to feature on screen and stage in Italy.

The BBC says that according to Italian media she had 30 days to pay the compensation before the court took further action.

At the original trial in 2015, the actress said she did not have the funds to pay up.

Two years later she and her family were evicted from her home in Rome over €80,000 in arrears to an estate agency, Italian media report, according to the BBC.

Muti has told Russian media in the past that she has an apartment in Moscow and would like Russian citizenship.