The dispute over the inheritance of the late Italian film star Gina Lollobrigida has taken a perplexing turn as nearly $10 million of her assets have reportedly vanished. The beloved actress, once hailed as the world's most beautiful woman, passed away on January 16 at the age of 95. However, a recent audit of her estate revealed her net worth to be just under $600,000, with no trace of the proceeds from the sale of three homes in Rome and an apartment in Monte Carlo.

Lollobrigida's will divided her wealth between her estranged son, Milko Skofic Jr., 65, and her longtime assistant, Andrea Piazzolla, 35. Now, the whereabouts of the missing assets have become a contentious issue among the heirs. Alessandro Gentiloni Silveri, Skofic's attorney, said, “We can only speculate as to where the missing assets are being kept.”

Skofic alleges that Piazzolla used manipulative tactics to persuade his mother into signing over properties, systematically isolated her from her family, and sold artwork and antiques worth over $300,000 without her knowledge or consent. Moreover, he accuses Piazzolla of splurging on a luxury sports car using the funds obtained from the real estate sales.

However, Filippo Morlacchini, Piazzolla's lawyer, vehemently counters these allegations, asserting that Lollobrigida was mentally fit. He added that the late actress had even accused her son of financial exploitation, infringing on her "legitimate right to grow old without being robbed!"

The legal validity of the will is now under scrutiny, and a Roman court is expected to rule on the matter in June, evaluating whether Lollobrigida was in a sound mental state when she signed the document. Morlacchini defended his client and the late actress, stating, “She was lucid and read everything. She always had the last word.”

As the legal battle looms, the disappearance of a significant portion of Lollobrigida's wealth remains an enigma, leaving the feuding heirs and authorities grappling for answers.