Italian anti-corruption authority
ANAC carried out an inspection of civil service procurement
agency CONSIP in 2016 which showed problems linked to two
contracts, for Facility Management FM3 and FM4, and the results
were sent to Rome prosecutors, sources said Wednesday.
The inspectors found that some two thirds of the two
contracts were awarded to just two subjects: Romeo Gestioni Spa
for around 350 million euros, and Manitalidea Spa for around 330
million.
Campania businessman Alfredo Romeo was arrested early
Wednesday in a probe into graft at CONSIP.
Businessman Carlo Russo and ex-premier Matteo Renzi's father
Tiziano "got promises of money" as monthly payments from Romeo,
according to judicial papers released Wednesday.
The payments were allegedly for exerting influence over
CONSIP CEO Luigi Marroni, an acquaintance of the elder Renzi's,
the papers said.
Romeo was arrested and taken to jail early on Wednesday over
the alleged corruption linked to CONSIP.
Romeo has "a network of institutional connections at a very
high level" which he uses "in an unscrupulous way to steer the
actions of the civil service to his advantage," a judge said in
the arrest warrant.
Investigators also seized assets worth around 100,000 euros
from a CONSIP official, Marco Gasparri, money that allegedly
stems from bribes from Romeo, sources said.
Carabinieri and finance police also conducted a series
searches related to Italo Bocchino, a former lawmaker for the
now-defunct centre-right People of Freedom Party (PdL).
As well as Tiziano Renzi, Sports Minister Luca Lotti is under
investigation in the probe too.
Lotti said Wednesday he was "extremely relaxed" regarding the
probe.
CONSIP said it had nothing to hide and was offering the
"utmost cooperation" to investigators, in whom it placed the
"utmost confidence".
photo: ANAC chief Raffaele Cantone
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