Italy's antitrust authority on
Tuesday opened a probe into Culture Undersecretary Vittorio
Sgarbi to see if his lavish reported earnings from various
private contracts represent an activity incompatible with that
of being a member of the government, the authority said in a
statement.
The probe, opened after a report from Culture Minister Gennaro
Sangiuliano, will set out to establish if the hundreds of
thousands of euros reportedly earned in various gigs by the art
critic and cultural expert are incompatible with his government
standing.
Sgarbi, 71, is one of Italy's top art critics as well as a noted
political and cultural polemicist.
He has been an official at several art bodies and mayor of several art towns in Italy and is currently first citizen of Arpino, Ancient Roman statesman Cicero's birthplace between Rome and Naples, as well as president of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto.
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