An Italian man accused of defrauding the Casino di Venezia, who fled the island and was returned through a European Arrest Warrant, yesterday argued that the money laundering charge against him should be dropped.

Fabio Zulian, 47, had argued that the Italian authorities, in returning him, used what was known as a specialty clause, which effectively limited the charges on which he could be found guilty.

Furthermore, money laundering was not one of these charges.

Lawyers Stefano Filletti and Joe Brincat raised the point in the sitting yesterday and demanded that the Attorney General take note of this and withdraw the money laundering charge.

They said that if it was not done they would take the issue to the European Court of Justice.

Mr Zulian had originally been charged with two other men – Gaetano Caramazza, 65, and Slovenian Nevio Barut, 50 – in 2006.

Mr Caramazza had committed suicide and Mr Barut filed a guilty plea and was jailed for three years and fined €7,000 in 2007.

The case continues.