Torre Annunziata. Money, lots of money, and then bribes disguised as necklaces sold at exorbitant prices by a judge: a deeply rooted and deeply illegal system was discovered by the Torre Annunziata Courthouse in the Justices of the Peace sector. "If anything, after a couple of days, we'll pass by and do what we have to do, and not pass by later or immediately before. This way, we prevent anyone from walking by and photographing us." Judge Antonio Iannello was diabolically scientific in demanding money from technical consultants and lawyers who benefited from appointments and favors. For every three consultations, a bribe was paid according to a very specific schedule: from €350 to €500 per consultation, and then percentages based on the compensation paid for road accidents. Up to €5, Iannello demanded a payment of €500; for higher-value cases, €1000 was due.
The price list emerges from the numerous environmental interceptions recorded by the hidden camera positioned in the office of the justice of the peace in service in Torre Annunziata. Every day, Ctu, lawyers and intermediaries passed by the Scafatese office of the lawyer Iannello to pay what was due. "I can't bring the accounts of the consultancies entrusted in a month, better the payment every three consultancies" so Iannello explains to his interlocutor Ciro Guida, included in the group of his trusted consultants. Iannello he has learned of an investigation against him and to divert the investigation he tries to become more cautious, he warns everyone who goes to his office that he is under investigation and instead of tracing a future legal conduct, he tries in every way to find a new system to avoid being discovered. Many sit in front of him and unaware of being filmed by a camera they pay 50 euro bills to the judge who will decide on their cases or has entrusted them with consultancy tasks.
And there is no shortage of cases in which Iannello complains about the failure to pay the alms by those who benefited from his decisions. Regarding a case decided in favor of Rodolfo Ostrifate, he complains to the lawyer Cuomo that despite having received compensation of 18 thousand euros, he only paid him 300 euros "That is, you take 18 thousand euros thanks to me, a year of work of a person, you should have taken 1000 euros and then say let's move on" says the judge to his interlocutor.
The comings and goings for the delivery of money by technical consultants appointed in the cases instructed by Iannello are incredible: one of the most precise in the delivery of money is Fabio Donnarumma who on several occasions 'thanks' the judge for his favors. But Donnarumma is not the only one who has to pay. According to the investigating judge De Rubbo who signed the order of precautionary custody there is a widespread sense of illegality at the Court of Torre Annunziata. In addition to corrupt and corrupting consultants and lawyers there is also a group of disloyal state officials who have facilitated the judge in the illicit management of his activity which has revealed "how deep and rooted are the illegality and the total lack of sense of institutions of many of the representatives of the state in the unfortunate Court of Torre Annunziata".
“The investigation – writes the Roman investigating judge – has allowed us to collect, as has been said, an impressive amount of circumstantial evidence, revealing the existence of a corruption system so widespread as to involve a notable number of individuals gravitating around the office of the Justice of the Peace of Torre Annunziata: in addition to at least three honorary magistrates (Iannello, Formicola, Ranieri), a very large number of lawyers, technical consultants and some Judicial Police officers, in addition to the collaborators of Iannello himself.
This is therefore a phenomenon so widespread that it requires an adequate in-depth analysis of the ongoing investigations, through the questioning of numerous subjects including the damaged parties in civil proceedings and all subjects aware of the aforementioned system and not involved in it".
Rosaria Federico
