A legal claim has been filed by Matteo Aquilini, a member of the wealthy Aquilini family, alleging that he and his siblings were disinherited and excluded from the family business as a form of retaliation following historical claims of sexual assault involving an unidentified family member. Matteo, the son of former Vancouver Canucks co-owner Paolo Aquilini, has accused his grandfather Luigi Aquilini, along with his uncles Francesco Aquilini and Roberto Aquilini, who are current co-owners of the team, of orchestrating a covert plan to exclude Matteo and his siblings from the family trust established by Luigi and Elisa Aquilini.
The lawsuit claims that the death of Elisa in 2015 disrupted the family unity that she had maintained, leaving a significant void. Matteo asserts that his grandfather and uncles not only disinherited him but also undermined the legacy that Elisa had envisioned for her descendants. The legal document further alleges that Luigi, Roberto, and Francesco favored certain family members over others, excluding Matteo and his siblings from the trust’s benefits.
According to Matteo’s lawsuit, the family trust, initially set up in 1995 by Luigi and Elisa, was intended to secure the future generations without Luigi benefiting from or controlling its assets. However, the suit claims that in 2015, Luigi reorganized the trust’s assets into a new trust, where he gained control and became a beneficiary, contrary to the original intentions. The lawsuit also mentions that Paolo informed his father and brothers in 2020 about past sexual assault allegations within the family, leading to Paolo and his children being marginalized from the family and its business operations.
Matteo’s legal action seeks various remedies, including the removal of his grandfather and uncles from the trust’s control. As of now, there have been no responses filed in court regarding these claims. Requests for comments from Matteo, his legal representative, and the Aquilini Investment Group have not been immediately answered.
