Sicilian windfarm king Vito Nicastri, one of the suspected bankrollers of fugitive Cosa Nostra kingpin Matteo Messina Denaro, is working with prosecutors in a probe into alleged bribes involving ex League party consultant Paolo Arata, judicial sources said Monday.
Last month Italian police arrested Arata, former League party
energy consultant and former Forza Italia (FI) MP, and his son
Francesco, on suspicion of corruption.
The pair are accused of corruption, money laundering and
falsely claiming assets.
Arata and son are suspected of being silent partners of
Trapani wind farm entrepreneur Nicastri, who prosecutors
say is one of the bankrollers of Cosa Nostra's No.1 fugitive
Messina Denaro.
The Aratas have been probed for months for a raft of
kickbacks at the Sicilian regional government which also
involves Nicastri, who was remanded in custody in another probe
in April after allegedly continuing to commit crimes under house
arrest.
Nicastri was served a fresh arrest warrant in the new probe
along with his son Manlio, who are facing the same charges as
the Aratas.
Former regional energy official Alberto Tinnirello was placed
under house arrest on suspicion of corruption.
A branch of the probe earlier this year involved former
League party transport undersecretary Armando Siri, who was
accused of taking a 30,000 euro bribe from Arata to favour the
windfarm sector by filing an amendment that was never approved.
Arata had invested heavily in that sector.
Siri, while denying wrongdoing, was eventually forced out by
the League's ruling partner the 5-Star Movement (M5S).
After Arata's arrest, M5S bigwig Alessandro Di Battista said
"the M5S should denounce sleaze and graft and the government
should go on to respect its contract".
M5S Regional Affairs Undersecretary Stefano Buffagni said
Arata's arrest "shows we were right to push for Siri's
resignation".
Premier Giuseppe Conte decided to sack Siri on May 8.
The case caused considerable tension within Conte's
coalition government.
Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini
strenuously defended Siri, a member of his League party who
denied any wrongdoing.
But the anti-graft M5S of fellow Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio
had been pressing hard for Siri to go.
The undersecretary is under investigation over an alleged
bribe to favour Nicastri
He was also under pressure because of a plea bargain for
fraudulent bankruptcy and a probe has been opened into his
purchase of a property near Milan too.
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