On 16 March 1985, in the trial for the bankruptcy of Banca Privata Italiana, Sindona was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crime of fraudulent bankruptcy."Sicilian financier jailed 12 years for fraud", The Times, Londra, 16 March 1985; p. 1 The compensation for the damages was established in civil court; Sindona was sentenced to immediately pay a provisional amount of two billion lire to the liquidators of the Bank and to the small shareholders who had filed a civil action lawsuit.
