Twins who swapped roles face fraud charges

AN ITALIAN woman who worked as a part-time judge as well as a lawyer was substituted by her identical twin sister in court so she would not lose out on legal fees when she had two simultaneous engagements.

The 54-year-old twins from northern Italy have been charged with fraud.

They will go on trial in January, Italy’s leading newspaper, Corriere della Sera, reported yesterday on its website.

One of the twins — identified only as Gabriella — worked primarily as a lawyer but also as an honorary judge, a part-time, paid position that entails helping full-time judges when their case load is heavy.

When Gabriella was called to be a substitute judge she sent her sister twin Patrizia to stand in for her at an existing engagement as a defence lawyer elsewhere in the Milan area.

There was one problem, however.

Patrizia was not a lawyer like sister Gabriella but charged the clients anyway.

The clients discovered the sister act and are now suing both women for damages.

Prosecutors have charged both with fraud, the paper said.