Anne Hathaway?s ex arrested on fraud and money laundering charges

It looks like Anne Hathaway dumped her boyfriend of four years at just the right time. Italian "businessman" Raffaello Follieri, 29, was just arrested yesterday for charges of money laundering and wire fraud. He also told a whopper of a lie to an undercover agent that he was CFO of the Vatican and could get church land cheap:

Manhattan prosecutors say an Italian businessman who has been romantically linked to movie star Anne Hathaway has been arrested on wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering charges.

Raffaello Follieri is due in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday.

He is accused of falsely telling an investor that he had been appointed as the chief financial officer of the Vatican.

Authorities say he claimed that, as a result of that connection, he and others could obtain properties of the Catholic church in the United States at a substantial discount to fair market value.

Follieri runs a Catholic charity that claims its purpose is vaccinating children in the third world, but it sounds like it was just a front for a money laundering scheme. He was sued in 2007 and accused of embezzling millions from a charity organization he ran with billionaire Ron Burkle. That suit was settled out of court for a rumored $1.3 million. Follieri's next brush with the law was after he bounced a check for $215,000 in March. The charges were dropped when he eventually made good on the funds.

Hathaway has not confirmed the split personally or through her reps, although even People magazine claimed to have a source stating it was true. She said on an episode of The View that aired last Thursday that "I'm kind of somber today." When asked by Joy Behar if she had mood swings she said "Let's not go there."

It sounds like Hathaway's personal wealth would have been at risk if she stayed with this creepy charmer. Her film Get Smart ruled the box office its opening weekend with $38 million in gross revenue. Her career can only rise, especially now that she's gotten rid of the dead weight.

Anne Hathaway and Raffaello Follieri are shown at the Waverly Inn on 3/9/08. She is also shown in NY on 6/17 (in the leather pants) and 6/19, thanks to WENN.