Son of Italy's last king sent to jail in southern Italy

Rome: Vittorio Emanuele, son of Italy's last king, was sent to a prison in southern Italy on Saturday after his arrest as part of an investigation into prostitution and corruption.

Vittorio Emanuele, 69, was picked up on Friday on charges of criminal association.

He is accused of recruiting prostitutes to be sent to clients in a gambling casino in Campione D'Italia, an Italian enclave in Switzerland famous for its casino, and of corruption in connection with trafficking of video games and slot machines for the casino.

Vittorio Emanuele's family has denied the allegations.

"It's folly," his wife, Marina Doria, was quoted as saying in Corriere della Sera on Saturday. "Vittorio is a clean man."

Vittorio Emanuele's son, Emanuele Filiberto, has said he was "stunned" and threatened to chain himself in front of the prison as a sign of protest, La Repubblica reported.

"Italy, after many decades of exile, is making us suffer again," he told the paper.

Vittorio Emanuele and his family returned to Italy in 2002 after a half-century of exile imposed on the former royal family because of its support for fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

The police operation targeted 13 people, including the spokesman of the former Italian foreign minister and the mayor of Campione D'Italia.

Seven of the suspects have been put behind bars, the others were held in house arrest, reports said.

Vittorio Emanuele, who uses the title Prince although the monarchy was abolished decades ago, was arrested on Friday in Varenna, on the shores of Lake Como. He was transferred to Potenza overnight, the prosecutor's office in the southern Italian town said.

Potenza is the city where prosecutors investigating the ring are based.

"The measure I have adopted was issued after a long and complex investigation," said Alberto Iannuzzi, the magistrate who issued the arrest warrant for Vittorio Emanuele

"Very grave evidence has emerged relating to extremely alarming facts."

Placed under house arrest were Salvatore Sottile, a spokesman for former Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini, who is not touched by the investigation; and Campione D'Italia Mayor Roberto Salmoiraghi.

Vittorio Emanuele's father, Umberto II, became Italy's king in 1946 for a month.