Illegal platforms, rigged races, and pressure on technicians: six bans issued to the Torre del Greco Municipality

Illegal platforms and pressure on offices: the Carabinieri and the Municipal Police crack down - This morning the Carabinieri of the Company of Greek's tower and the Municipal Police have executed an order imposing precautionary measures issued by the Torre Annunziata preliminary investigations judge at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office. Six people are under investigation—including executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs—on serious suspicion of forgery of a public document, fraud against the public administration, and attempted extortion.

The precautionary measure revolves around three investigative strands, all linked to the management of state-owned land in the Via Principal Marina area and the relationships between municipal offices and restaurant business owners.

The three cases under the scrutiny of investigators

1. The illegal platforms of 2021
According to investigators, in the summer of 2021, two platforms were constructed on state-owned maritime property by the joint venture Gusto and Voce del Mare (Yachting Club restaurant). These structures, deemed illegal, were later seized: formally removable installations, but in reality, they were permanently anchored to the rocks with metal poles. The works were carried out without a building permit, based on a simple SCIA (Constant Building Regulation) without a landscape permit, initially declared inadmissible and then "saved" by the SUAP director.

2. The 2016 tender for the state concession
The investigations also revealed anomalies in the 2016 tender process for the assignment of a restaurant area. The Gusto consortium, although formally a separate company, was nonetheless traceable to the same entrepreneur who owned the Voce del Mare limited liability company, in violation of the ban on bidding with multiple entities in the same tender. According to the Prosecutor's Office, the second company was purchased through a front man specifically to circumvent the rules.

3. Attempted extortion for the release of the Yachting Club
The third incident involves the director of the Municipal Anti-Illegal Building Service, accused of pressuring her officials to falsely certify the complete elimination of illegal construction within the Yachting Club. This report, if submitted to the investigating judge, would have resulted in the rejection of the request for release from seizure. When the experts refused, the director allegedly took over the file, drafting a report deemed false.

Interdictory measures and recipients

The GIP has ordered interdiction measures for periods of 6 to 12 months against:
Antonio Sarnello, UTC manager – banned from holding public office (6 months) for forgery.
Claudia Sacco, former SUAP manager – banned from holding public office (12 months) for forgery.
Maria Gabriella Camera, Anti-Illegal Activities director – banned from holding public office (12 months) for attempted extortion and forgery.

Pietro Paolo Palumbo, lawyer – banned from practicing law (12 months) for fraud against the Municipality. Giovanni Salerno, engineer and former UTC manager – banned from practicing law (12 months) for forgery. Giuseppe Fornito, entrepreneur – banned from practicing law (12 months) for fraud.

The preliminary investigations judge's assessments: "Ability to influence the offices"

The order describes a situation defined as "particularly serious" by the judge:
Giuseppe Fornito is identified as the beneficiary and promoter of the illegal conduct, capable of influencing administrative action.

Giovanni Salerno is described as a professional with a strong influence on the offices, to the point of "steering" administrative action according to private interests, going so far as to stigmatize the SUAP's actions to achieve the desired outcome.

Attorney Palumbo, Fornito's brother-in-law, allegedly played an active role in the acquisition of ATI Gusto through front men.

Claudia Sacco, a former SUAP manager, allegedly subordinated administrative action to the entrepreneur's needs, taking on procedures that officials deemed lacking in requirements.
Maria Gabriella Camera allegedly exerted intimidating pressure on technicians, causing—according to the investigating judge—the depletion of the service and the burnout of the manager, who was forced to request a demotion rather than sign documents deemed false.

Antonio Sarnello is accused of downplaying substantial irregularities, claiming in a report that the anomalies found on the platforms fell within the "construction site tolerance," without identifying the illegal anchoring to the rocks.

The integrity of the officials who opposed

The investigating judge also emphasized the exemplary conduct of the head of the anti-illegal building service and two municipal technicians: despite pressure and fears of disciplinary action, they refused to prepare compliant reports on the Yachting Club case, even requesting a transfer or accepting a demotion rather than making false statements.