An Italian businessman who allegedly defrauded customers out of deposits on orders for imported furniture has been charged with misappropriation and fraud. 

Giordano Domenico Perucchini, a 56-year-old businessman living in Pietá, was targeted by criminal investigations following a string of reports which reached the Sliema and Msida police stations over the past months. 

Disgruntled customers told police that they were left high and dry after paying a 50 per cent deposit on furniture orders they placed with Perucchini’s company, which was to obtain the items from suppliers in Sicily. 

But the furniture never materialised and the seller repeatedly came up with “shallow reasons” for failing to deliver, a court was told. 

Police got involved after they received a criminal complaint from five customers who claimed to have been defrauded when purchasing furniture from the accused. The complaint, which was signed by lawyer Mariah Mula, asked the police to investigate Perucchini and his partner, both personally and as representatives of Estea Furniture. 

The police have since received other complaints about the company, an inspector told the court on Friday. 

Based on the evidence gathered, police decided to press charges against Perucchini for allegedly defrauding seven customers, as well as misappropriation of their money. 

The amounts allegedly defrauded varied from over €500 to over €5,000.

He was arrested and arraigned on Friday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to criminal charges.

His lawyer explained that his client had been going through a very rough patch over the past nine months or so. 

Perucchini’s partner was seriously ill and awaiting surgery, said lawyer Jean Paul Sammut. 

The accused used to operate the furniture showroom with his partner and was overwhelmed when he had to manage the business single-handedly since the woman was ill and homebound.

“It all started from a Facebook post which opened a Pandora’s box,” argued the lawyer, explaining at some length the difficulties faced by the accused. “He himself was defrauded by a third party,” said Sammut. 

The seller also had trouble with his supplier in Palermo and some orders were late. 

But he had offered some of his customers a temporary solution whilst refunding others a total of €24,000 in the past months. 

Moreover, his partner could not get by alone. 

Prosecutors objected to the accused’s request for bail, citing the risk of absconding and the fact that accused had managed to fool many people for so long. 

In spite of logistical problems he was facing, the accused continued to take orders. 

The showroom he operated from, under the Estea name, sent out a message of credibility but once taken in, customers ended up on a roller coaster ride that knew no end, argued Inspector Eman Hayman. 

And other reports were still being filed by disgruntled customers, the court was told.

The defence rebutted that had he wanted to escape, Perucchini could have done so. And there was no “mise-en-scene”, as alleged by the prosecution. 

Perucchini had taken over the showroom from Estea, with whom he was previously employed, when they decided to close shop during the COVID-19 pandemic. He had continued to take orders and get the merchandise from the suppliers in Sicily, the defence submitted. 

After hearing submissions the court, presided over by Magistrate Gabriella Vella, turned down the accused’s request for bail and remanded him in custody. 

Inspectors Eman Hayman and Shamus Woods prosecuted today. Lawyer Jean Paul Sammut was defence counsel.