A large seizure of over 36,5 million euros was carried out by the finance police of the Provincial Command of Bologna as part of an investigation into private corruption and self-laundering.
Among the suspects are Francesco Pugliese, former CEO of Conad, and Mauro Bosio, former financial director of the consortium, together with an entrepreneur in the road transport sector and the financier Raffaele Mincione, resident abroad. The Conad consortium is the injured party in the proceedings.
The investigations, coordinated by the prosecutor Francesco Caleca and the deputy prosecutor Michela Guidi, have brought to light a corruption system aimed at obtaining undue economic advantages in the context of a major acquisition operation of numerous sales outlets of the French group Auchan, distributed throughout the country.
The investigations, initiated following a complaint from two cooperative members of the consortium, were conducted by the Economic and Financial Police Unit of the Guardia di Finanza of Bologna.
According to the reconstruction of the Prosecutor's Office, Pugliese and Bosio would have set up, with the complicity of family members and the interposition of a trustee, a consultancy company based in Milan. Through this structure, they would have received over 3 million euros from transport and storage companies on the occasion of the signing of contracts, and a further 11,3 million euros from Mincione, formally justified by fictitious consultancy services.
Mincione, through a corporate group based in Luxembourg, would have become a financial partner of Conad in the deal that led to the acquisition of the Italian sub-holding of Auchan, owner of numerous supermarkets and commercial properties. The properties would have been sold to funds managed by the entrepreneur, while Conad would have agreed to sell him, for the symbolic price of 1 euro, a significant share of the “vehicle” company used for the operation.
The analysis of the financial flows revealed that the illicit proceeds were partly invested in shady activities, aimed at hindering the reconstruction of the criminal origin of the sums, and partly used for recreational expenses. Among these, the systematic participation in the famous car race “Mille Miglia” with a historic car purchased thanks to the illicit profits stands out.
Overall, 9 people are under investigation and the preventive seizure ordered by the Prosecutor's Office aims at confiscating, even for equivalent, assets for a total value of 36,5 million euros, of which 28,6 million represent the profit of the corruption crime and the remaining 7 million attributable to self-laundering activities. The investigation continues to ascertain further responsibilities and dynamics of the intricate corruption system.
Article published on March 13, 2025 - 15pm
