Sorrento, Mayor Massimo Coppola's "dolce vita" with public money. The names of the 26 people under investigation.

Sorrento – Luxury watches, resorts in Cilento, luxury shops and restaurants between Capri, Naples, and Rome: former mayor Massimo Coppola knew a lot about the good life.

And to do so he spared no expense, especially if the funds were paid by the Sorrento municipality through funds 'donated' to the cultural association La Fenice, chaired by his front man Danilo Amitrano, but in fact managed by him.

This is one of the many charges that the Torre Annunziata Prosecutor's Office has leveled against the former mayor as part of the investigation into corruption, extortion, and bid-rigging that has led to the arrests of 16 other people in recent days.

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The second part of the investigation: new corruption scenarios

In the second phase of the investigation, which began last May with Coppola's arrest in flagrante delicto, investigators have pieced together the threads of a well-rehearsed plot and uncovered further cases of corruption.

La Fenice, the association used as a "personal ATM"

Among the charges leveled against the former mayor is one relating to donations to the cultural association La Fenice, which received numerous grants from the Municipality of Sorrento for the organization of events and demonstrations.

Nothing strange if it weren't for the fact that La Fenice was in fact, according to investigators, managed by Massimo Coppola and had its headquarters in the office of the majority city councilor, accountant Vincenzo Sorrentino, who effectively handled all its accounting.

Gennaro Coppola, a trusted person of the former mayor, also managed the association, effectively chaired by Amitrano. According to investigators, La Fenice was used as a personal ATM by Coppola, So much so that the mayor used the account for personal purchases. Personal expenses totaling approximately 34 euros were paid for using the debit card.

Holidays, luxury hotels and designer shopping

And here the reconstruction of the investigators was meticulous, also because what speaks for itself is the long list of transactions in which appear the purchase of a luxury Panerai watch, for 6700 Euro, but also holiday stays for Coppola and for his 'shoulder' Raffaele Guida, the one who transported cash donated by extorted businessmen to the mayor across the 'border' of legality.

Investigators have recorded, among the expenses charged to La Fenice's ATM, a stay at a well-known resort in Capaccio-Paestum, which Coppola and Guida allegedly enjoyed.

But also stays in hotels of a certain prestige. Alongside these moments of leisure, Coppola would also indulge in purchases of goods from well-known brands from Capri, Naples, and Rome. La Fenice, as investigators were able to ascertain, was a 'creature' of Coppola.

This is how the former mayor described it in conversations with some of his most loyal supporters. And to help it grow and flourish, he ensured that it received direct contracts from the Municipality of Sorrento.

The last of which was awarded at the end of last year for an amount of approximately 85 thousand euros for 'artistic and cultural proposals for the M'illumino d'inverno 2024th edition exhibition – November 2025, January XNUMX...'.

According to the investigations, this money had not generated any significant cultural events for the Association. At least, no trace of it has been found so far. What is certain, however, is the correspondence between the arrival of the money in the Association's accounts and the subsequent expenditures made by the former mayor with the account's ATM card.

Tenders, bribes and a well-oiled system

The flow of funds was managed directly by Coppola, who would take care to organize the commissions that would always make direct assignments to the same people. Recurring names for recurring assignments to the cultural association.

The cliché of partly and entirely phantom demonstrations worked from 2022 to 2024, shattered by the investigation that 'stopped' Massimo Coppola and his accomplices.

Bribes of up to 7% on municipal contracts

But in addition to 'his creation' La Fenice – according to the Prosecutor's Office – Coppola had organized a tried and tested method to pocket bribes on a large part of the contracts awarded by the Municipality of Sorrento.

The percentages ranged from 6 to 7%, and the ever-present Raffaele Guida was instrumental in all the illicit 'withdrawals' and transfers into the former mayor's pocket. But that's not all. Recurring in the Guardia di Finanza's investigations are the names of well-known businessmen who, in addition to being alleged victims—forced to pay bribes to secure contracts—are themselves participants in the corruption scheme.

 Here are the 26 suspects

1. Massimo Coppola, born in Sorrento on June 23, 1977, resident in Sorrento; currently detained in the Naples Poggioreale prison for another cause.

2. Raphael Guide, born in Caserta on July 24, 1973, resident in Santa Maria a Vico.

3. Martina Malvone, born in Piano di Sorrento on 17 October 1988, resident in Sorrento.

4. Vincenzo Sorrentino, born in Vico Equense on 14 October 1967, resident in Sorrento.

5. Louis Desiderio, born in Piano di Sorrento on 18 April 1981, resident in Piano di Sorrento.

6. Graziano Maresca, born in Vico Equense on August 3, 1968, resident in Piano di Sorrento.

7. Aniello Vanacore, born in Vico Equense on 31 December 1992, resident in Vico Equense.

8. Vincenzo Rescigno, born in Maddaloni on 11 October 1959, resident in Maddaloni.

9. Raffaele Esposito, born in Sorrento on August 28, 1951, resident in Sorrento.

10. Gianluigi Pollio, born in Vico Equense on 4 September 1978, resident in Sorrento.

11. Gennaro Esposito, born in Genoa on May 10, 1980, resident in Sorrento.

12. Luigi Todisco, born in Lettere on November 2, 1972, resident in Lettere.

13. Alexander DiDomenico, born in Naples on July 23, 1971, resident in San Giorgio a Cremano.

14. Salvatore Della Corte, born in Naples on June 20, 1989, resident in Pozzuoli.

15. Raphael Guarino, born in Naples on August 11, 1973, resident in Naples.

16. Philip DiMartino, born in Piano di Sorrento on February 3, 1970, resident in Anacapri.

17. Luigi De Gregorio, born in Massa Lubrense on October 29, 1967, resident in Massa Lubrense.

18. Aniello Vanacore, born in Vico Equense on December 6, 1994, resident in Sorrento.

19. Donato Sarno, born in Salerno on May 27, 1967, resident in Maiori.

20. Joseph Razzano, born in Maddaloni on 20 October 1981, resident in Maddaloni.

21. Mariagrazia Caiazzo, born in Vico Equense on 10 September 1979, resident in Vico Equense.

22. Mario Spoken, born in Vico Equense on 3 September 1975, resident in Vico Equense.

23. Daniel Amitran, born in Sorrento on July 4, 1998, resident in Sorrento.

24. Michele Zambelli, born in Bergamo on 13 June 1982, resident in Gandosso (Bergamo).

25. Antonio Gnassi, born in Naples on September 14, 1962, resident in Naples.

26. Luigi Di Palo, born in Naples on January 12, 1984, resident in Afragola.