FACTBOX-Italy ex-central bank chief's trial resumes
Nov 20 (Reuters) - The trial of former Bank of Italy Governor Antonio Fazio and 17 other suspects resumes in Milan on Thursday in the main case stemming from a scandal-ridden 2005 bank takeover.
The trial, which was suspended for a month to hear a motion to broaden the proceedings, has its roots in a battle by Dutch bank ABN AMRO to take over Italy's Banca Antonveneta.
Fazio faces charges of market-rigging, which he has denied. He could face a jail sentence of up to 12 years if convicted, although given he is 72 he is unlikely to be sent to prison.
He stepped down as central bank chief in December 2005 amid allegations he backed a rival bid by Banca Popolare Italiana (BPI) and its allies.
Among witnesses at the trial will be current Bank of Italy Governor Mario Draghi, veteran banker Cesare Geronzi who is chairman of investment bank Mediobanca and the head of bourse regulator Consob, Lamberto Cardia.
Following are some of the facts about Fazio and the Antonveneta case:
THE BANKER AND THE PHONE CALL
Fazio headed the Bank of Italy from 1993 until his resignation.
Authorities recorded phone conversations of Gianpiero Fiorani, then BPI's chief executive, as part of a probe into BPI's bid for Antonveneta. A wiretap in July 2005 recorded Fazio phoning Fiorani to tell him he had approved BPI's offer, according to court documents.
THE ACCUSED, THE CHARGES, THE SEIZURES
The other 17 charged comprise companies and individuals. In various combinations, they are accused of conspiracy, market-rigging, insider trading, obstructing oversight, abuse of privileged information and embezzlement.
Others on trial include real estate executive Luigi Zunino, former central bank oversight chief Francesco Frasca and ruling party Senator Luigi Grillo, head of the chamber's public works committee. They have denied the charges.
Another 64 accused, including Fiorani and former Unipol Gruppo Finanziario SpA (UNPI.MI) Chairman Giovanni Consorte, have reached plea-bargain agreements. Unipol, an insurer, had a stake in Antonveneta.
Italian authorities have seized about 326 million euros ($419.1 million) in assets in the case.
ANOTHER TRIAL
Fazio also is part of a preliminary hearing in Milan on possible irregularities in Unipol's 2005 bid for larger Banca Nazionale del Lavoro against Spanish rival Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA (BBVA.MC).
Consorte is among 31 people and 14 companies involved in the hearing. He denies any wrongdoing. Charges include obstructing oversight, market-rigging and insider trading.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BANKS?
BPI merged with Banco Popolare di Verona e Novara to create Banco Popolare (BAPO.MI) last year.
ABN AMRO was bought last year by a consortium grouping Spain's Banco Santander SA (SAN.MC), Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc (RBS.L) and Belgian-Dutch bank Fortis NV (FOR.AS) (FOR.BR). Santander sold Antonveneta to Italy's Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA (BMPS.MI) in 2007.
France's BNP Paribas SA (BNPP.PA) bought Banca Nazionale del Lavoro in 2006 after BBVA's bid failed and the Bank of Italy rejected Unipol's takeover.
(Reporting by Emilio Parodi, writing by Ian Simpson, editing by Michael Roddy)
