What Was Gina Lollobrigida’s Net Worth When She Died?

Gina Lollobrigida, an iconic Italian actress, photojournalist, and sculptor, had an estimated net worth of $12 million at the time of her death in January 2023. However, her estate has been embroiled in disputes and allegations of embezzlement following her passing. While she generously donated millions to charitable causes, including a notable $5 million donation to stem-cell research in 2013, questions about the disappearance of her wealth have since surfaced.

Estate Disputes

Shortly after her death, legal documents revealed that Lollobrigida’s estate was valued at approximately $12 million. This figure is said to encompass her liquid assets, a villa in Italy, and luxury apartments in Monte Carlo and Rome. However, as details unfolded, it was revealed that nearly €9 million (the majority of her fortune) had gone missing, leaving just €500,000 in her estate.

A dispute erupted between her only son, Milko Skofic Jr., and her long-time companion and former assistant, Andrea Piazzolla, whom Lollobrigida had included in her will. Skofic accused Piazzolla of manipulating his mother and embezzling over €3 million from her between 2013 and 2018. The legal battle intensified in November 2023, when Piazzolla was convicted of defrauding Lollobrigida of $12 million in assets, including property, cash, and luxury cars.

Early Life

Born on July 4, 1927, in Subiaco, Italy, Gina Lollobrigida was one of four sisters. She began her career as a model and participated in various beauty contests in her youth. Her acting career took off in the 1940s with small roles in Italian films such as Lucia di Lammermoor and Black Eagle.

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Lollobrigida quickly gained prominence in the 1950s, rising to international stardom and becoming a celebrated sex symbol. Her most notable films from that era include Bread, Love and Dreams, Beat the Devil, and The World’s Most Beautiful Woman.

Film Career in the 50s and 60s

In 1950, Lollobrigida signed a contract with Hollywood mogul Howard Hughes, though a legal dispute prevented her from working in the United States until 1959. Despite this, she enjoyed a prolific career in European cinema. Some of her best-known films during the 1950s included Crossed Swords with Errol Flynn, Trapeze alongside Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, where she played Esmeralda.

The 1960s saw Lollobrigida continue her success with films such as Come September (which earned her a Golden Globe) and Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell, for which she won her third David di Donatello Award.

 Photojournalism

By the 1970s, Lollobrigida’s film career had slowed, and she shifted her focus to photojournalism. Her talent as a photographer was evident as she captured portraits of notable figures such as Audrey Hepburn, Paul Newman, and even Fidel Castro, whom she interviewed for an exclusive feature.

Personal Life

Gina Lollobrigida married Slovenian doctor Milko Škofič in 1949, with whom she had one son, Andrea. The couple moved to Canada in 1960 but divorced in 1971. Later in life, Lollobrigida became romantically involved with Spanish businessman Javier Rigau y Rafols, 34 years her junior, though their engagement was called off in 2006.

In her later years, Lollobrigida lived between Rome and Monte Carlo, dedicating much of her time and resources to charitable causes. She notably donated around $5 million from the sale of her jewelry collection to support stem-cell therapy research.

Gina Lollobrigida Net Worth 2023

Gina Lollobrigida net was $12 million when she died.