July 3, 2025: Italy’s top film official, Nicola Borrelli, has resigned following a scandal involving a $1 million production tax credit granted to a film that was never made—allegedly co-produced by a U.S. citizen accused of double murder.
The controversy centers around a supposed Italian feature titled “Stelle della Notte”, which received €863,595 ($1 million) in tax credits despite never being produced. The alleged lead producer? A 46-year-old American named Charles Francis Kaufmann, who operated under the alias Rexal Ford and was recently arrested in Greece for the murder of a woman and her infant daughter in Rome’s Villa Pamphili park.
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Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli personally led police into the film department’s offices last week to seize key documents. Just days later, Borrelli stepped down from his post—a position he held with respect in Italy’s cinema circles for years.
Kaufmann reportedly obtained the tax credit through a shell company called Tintagel Films, allegedly partnered with an Italian firm named Coevolutions, which received the tax rebate in November 2023.
Before resigning, Borrelli defended the process, claiming the paperwork appeared legitimate and that he had long urged stricter oversight of the tax credit system. The incident has now prompted Italy to introduce tighter controls on tax credit disbursements.
However, the scandal is not expected to affect Italy’s international film incentives, which offer a 40% rebate. Borrelli recently emphasized at Cannes that 70% of Italy’s tax credit for foreign productions can be used immediately during filming—a major draw for global filmmakers.
Despite the scandal, international projects continue filming in Italy, including:
- “Maserati: The Brothers” starring Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Alba
- Ridley Scott’s “The Dog Stars” with Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin
- “Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints”
- Mel Gibson’s “The Resurrection of the Christ”, beginning in August at Cinecittà Studios