Court summons three in ‘Winks Club’ merchandise fraud case

(ANSA) – Ancona, November 26 – A judge in Ancona on Tuesday called three suspects to appear in court for allegedly sharing company secrets of the Italian Winx Club cartoon franchise with a Japanese competitor who intended to sell knock-off merchandise in Russia. Two of the suspects are former managers of Rainbow S.r.l., the company founded by Winx Club creator Iginio Straffi to give life to his group of teenage fairies who tussle with adolescent-type problems and frequently save the world from the powers of evil.

The third is a Russian businessman. Charges were pressed in 2010.

A trial is planned to begin in February.