Italian man arrested for fraud

TIRANA, July 28 – An Italian man, who heads a non-governmental organization operating in Albania, has been arrested after authorities received several reports of fraud relating a health insurance scheme.
Massimiliano Nicholini, 50, has been living in Albania leading an NGO called Caritate Christi Compulsi Balcan and also introducing himself as Albania’s and Italy’s honorary consul.
Police said he was conducting a fraud scheme with health insurances for medical treatments abroad.
Authorities said he is charged with defrauding some 900 people, who paid about $120 as an insurance fee to have free medical tests for themselves and their families. Nine people had contacted the authorities to report the alleged fraud.
If the charges are proven to be true Nicholini will join a long list of foreign citizens who have in the past exploited Albanians’ poverty and ignorance to earn money illegally. About a month ago, police said they wanted to arrest a Macedonian citizen who had guaranteed work visas to Albanians trying to immigrate overseas but had instead disappeared with money.