Financing investigated for abusive access to anti-mafia database: excellent names among those “controlled”. An investigation by the Perugia Public Prosecutor's Office shakes the Italian political landscape.
At the center of the case is the financier Pasquale Striano, employed by the National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office, who allegedly made approximately 800 unauthorised accesses to the Suspicious Transaction Reports (SOS) database.
Among the names whose information Striano allegedly consulted are government officials such as Guido Crosetto, Francesco Lollobrigida, Marina Elvira Calderone, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin and Adolfo Urso and the undersecretaries Andrea Delmastro and Giovanbattista Fazzolari.
But also Martha Fascina, member of parliament for FI and Silvio Berlusconi's last companion, and Olivia Paladin, companion of Giuseppe Conte.
The Matteo Renzi appears among the objects of the searches, as well as Marco Carrai. Feel free to type the names of people outside the world of politics, such as Fedez or, in 2021, the then president of Juventus Andrea Agnell, the coach Massimiliano Allegri and the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, it's still Francesco Totti in addition to the president of the FIGC, Gabriele Gravina.
The investigation started from a complaint by the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto. Other names that appear in the accesses are those of the former parliamentarian (now in prison) Denis Verdini, of the former President of the Chamber Irene Pivetti, of the lawyer Piero Amaro, of the entrepreneur-publisher Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone.
At present, there is no evidence that dossiers have been created on these personalities or that the information has been used for illicit purposes.
The leader of Forza Italia in the Senate, Maurizio Gasparri, called for a thorough inspection of the Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office.
The Perugia magistrates, led by Raffaele Cantone, do not exclude that there may have been unauthorised access to the computer system, but do not hypothesize adossier activity real.
The investigation also involves about fifteen journalists, who have received solidarity from Usigrai. It is not clear why Striano carried out the research, nor whether he received money to provide the information.
His lawyer said that the financier "always moved within the rules and following the directives that came to him".
The investigation had political implications.
Gasparri called for an inspection of the Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office, calling it "an extremely protective body on a sensitive front for state security." The senator said the affair "casts a shadow over this fundamental institution."
The National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office has recently been at the center of controversy over the candidacy of some of its former magistrates in the political elections.
THEPerugia investigation adds a new chapter to this story and raises questions about the security of sensitive data and the control of the judiciary's work. The investigations are ongoing and will have to clarify the contours of the story and any responsibilities.
The Executive I will use it expresses solidarity and closeness to the colleagues of the newspaper Tomorrow, John Titian, Nello Trocchia e Stefano Vergine, who ended up under investigation in Perugia for carrying out their work as investigative journalists.
Although they are not accused of spreading false or defamatory news, but only of conducting journalistic investigations based on authentic documents from judicial sources, they risk up to 5 years in prison.
This attack on press freedom is worrying in a Western country, especially considering that the investigation was launched following a complaint from Defense Minister Crosetto.
Usigrai supports the Fnsi in any action it will take to defend its colleagues and the constitutional right of citizens to be informed, a right increasingly threatened in Italy.
Article published on March 2, 2024 - 19pm
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