Anne Hathaway's Ex Arrested for Conspiracy

June 24, 2008— -- Days after her latest movie hit No. 1 at the box office, Anne Hathaway's ex-beau hit rock bottom.

Italian businessman Raffaello Follieri has been arrested on wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering charges, according to the Associated Press. He's due in Manhattan federal court today.

Follieri 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.

It's the latest bit of bad news for Follieri, 28. British newspaper the Daily Mail last week reported that Hathaway, 25, broke up with the businessman because of his bout of legal troubles. She showed up to the premiere of her latest movie, "Get Smart," without Follieri on her arm. The two had been romantically linked since 2005.

Earlier this month, a children's charity operated by Follieri came under investigation by New York State Attorney General Andrew Andrew Cuomo, according to the New York Post.

Cuomo's office declined to elaborate on why it's probing the financial documents of the Follieri Foundation, which, according to the group's Web site, works to fund vaccinations for children in the developing world and provide financial assistance to students receiving Catholic educations. Until last year, Hathaway sat on the foundation's board of directors and traveled with the charity.

The actress' representative said he didn't "remember exactly when she ceased to be a board member." A representative for Follieri said he "looks forward to concluding this matter in a timely and expeditious manner … so that he may continue to fulfill his ongoing philanthropic endeavors worldwide."

In April, Follieri turned himself in to New York police after he was charged with bouncing a $215,000 check.

"Follieri wrote a check in September, and the complainant tried to cash it a number of times," Detective Brian Sessa of the New York City Police Department told ABCNEWS.com at the time. "When he realized it could not be cashed, he filed a complaint March 24."

When Follieri presented himself to police at the Midtown North station house, he was issued a desk appearance ticket for a Class B misdemeanor. Charges were dropped in May after he paid up.

Police would not confirm reports in the New York Post that the check was made out to John Morrongiello, a real estate executive from New Jersey.

In 2007, real estate mogul Ron Burkle sued Follieri for misusing $55 million in a joint venture to buy and resell properties owned by the Catholic church.

"The improper personal exchanges included, among other things, excessive use and inappropriate private jet travel for Follieri, his actress girlfriend and his father," the lawsuit reads.

Last June, the Follieri Group stepped down as managing member of the joint venture with Burkle's Yucaipa Investments, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Follieri was recently ordered to pay $240,000 to the Washington, D.C., public relations company that represented him in the court battle with Burkle.

Additionally, the private jet company that allegedly shuttled him and Hathaway about sued the joint venture for failing to pay $458,852 in chartering nine flights, according to the Post.