Usury worth 82 bn in Italy, Eurispes

(ANSA) - Rome, September 7 - Usury was a business worth 82 billion euros in 2015 in Italy, European statistics institute Eurispes said Wednesday in its annual report.
    The institute said an estimated three million families were usury victims last year.
    It also reported that at least one in 10 companies operating in the agricultural sector, in retail and services were victims of loansharking - or 10% of Italy's 750,000 agricultural businesses and of the 3.3 million retail and service enterprises.
    Eurispes said crime syndicates, along with "individuals above suspicion", have taken advantage of the economic crisis to lend money with an average interest rate of 120% a year.
    A reported 12% out of a total of 24.6 million families in Italy asked for a private loan over the past two years because they could not apply for a bank loan, Eurispes also said.
    Crossing data on the phenomenon, the institute has estimated that, although southern Italy and the islands are more at risk, the most exposed city is currently Parma in the North, followed by the southern cities of Crotone, Siracusa, Foggia, Trapani, Vibo Valentia and Palermo.