Actress to surrender

Press, 12 September 1980, Page 4

Actress to surrender

NZPA-AP Rome The Italian film star, Sophia Loren, has been quoted by her lawyers as saying that she will return to Italy, surrender to the police, and face a jail sentence to resolve a 17-year-old tax evasion case. The Italian Finance Ministry has confirmed that an Appeal Court in July sentenced the Oscar-winning actress to 30 days in jail and decreed a 12 million lire ($14,750) fine on charges that Miss Loren’s legal advisers failed to file a tax return for her in 1963.

Miss Loren’s legal staff has asked the Italian President (Mr Sandro Pertini) for a pardon, according to Mrs Giovanna Cau, one of the actress’s lawyers. Such an action can ■ take months, however.

In a statement released to the press by her lawyers, Miss Loren was quoted as

saying: “I confirm that I intend to abide rigorously by the decision of the judges of my country, for which I hold every affection. Thus I will return to Italy and give myself up in expectation of punishment, immediately after 1 have fulfilled my work obligations.” •- ». Miss Loren lives in Paris. Mrs Cau said that the actress’s business commitments would be completed within a few weeks. The actress was quoted as saying that she was waiting to surrender herself to avoid “grave economic damage’’ to others involved in her work. She was also quoted as saying, that her accountants had told her that she did not have to pay taxes in Italy in 1963.