Five million seven hundred thousand euros: this is the amount of damages to the public purse that the Regional Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Auditors of Campania is alleging against seven former administrators and employees of SMA Campania , the regional government's in-house company. An investigation that uncovers years of waste, personal purchases, and duplicate payments, in a management that—according to investigators—transformed public funds intended for land maintenance into a personal ATM.
The Naples Financial Police, coordinated by regional prosecutor Antonio Giuseppone, deputy prosecutor Davide Vitale, and deputy Flavia Del Grosso, have targeted former sole directors Ciro De Leo, Raffaele Scognamiglio, and Giuseppe Esposito; former managing director Lorenzo Di Domenico; former executive Cosimo Silvestro; and accounting clerk Ernesto Tartaglione.
The investigation, spanning ten years—from 2012 to 2022—uncovers an uncontrolled spending pattern. The company's prepaid cards, designed to meet operational needs, were allegedly used for Amazon purchases and Spotify subscriptions. But that's not all: investigators identified career promotions and "superminimum" payments worth over €3,6 million granted without due process, car and phone rental contracts awarded without competitive bidding at increased costs, and even double billing for the same vehicle.
The "inadmissible" expenses also include lunches and dinners unrelated to any institutional activity. This management framework has been described as "relaxed" by investigators, who will now hold those involved in what appears to be an exemplary case of public mismanagement accountable in court. Two former executives, former board chairman Giuseppe Cammarota and manager of the Naples East plant Luigi Riccardi, who were initially implicated, have already remedied their positions following the notices to deduct information served in November 2024.
The article was very interesting and highlights a serious problem with the management of public funds. It's incredible how administrators can misuse these resources for personal gain. I hope justice is served.