Naples, investigation into false invoicing, the vice president of the Industrialists: "No involvement."

"Antonio Amato is not involved in the investigation, and any accusations against him are unfounded." This is the position expressed by Paolo Simonetti, the entrepreneur's lawyer and vice president of the Naples Industrialists' Union, following reports of his alleged involvement in the investigation into the contracts for the construction of the Naples-Bari high-speed rail line.

In a statement, the defense attorney completely disputes his client's representation of his position and rejects any suggestion of liability for the reported facts. "No judicial document relating to the matter has been served on Dr. Amato," Simonetti emphasizes, thus deeming any interpretation attributing the entrepreneur's involvement in false invoicing to be baseless.

The lawyer also urges us to distinguish the content of an investigative hypothesis from a fact that has already been ascertained. "Amato rejects any representation of a mere investigative hypothesis as a fact that has already been verified," he states in the statement.

The investigative hypothesis

According to reports by Repubblica Napoli and reported by several newspapers, Antonio Amato appears to be included in the list of approximately fifty suspects in the investigation coordinated by Public Prosecutor Henry John Woodcock and conducted by the Economic and Financial Police Unit of the Naples Financial Police.

He was allegedly charged with false invoicing related to the purchase of a pleasure boat. The incident allegedly occurred three years ago this summer. The Prosecutor's Office also requested that the entrepreneur be banned from residing in his municipality of residence.

These charges are currently in the preliminary investigation phase and are still being assessed by the judicial authorities. Any liability must be determined by the appropriate authorities, respecting the presumption of innocence.

The crux of the preliminary interrogation

One point highlighted by the defense is that Amato's name is not among the twenty suspects for whom the preliminary investigations judge has ordered preliminary questioning, a step required before deciding on requests for precautionary measures.

The failure to summon the suspect, according to the reconstruction reported by the newspaper, could indicate that the investigating judge did not consider the necessary elements to proceed further with the examination of the request for this specific case. However, this assessment should be treated with caution, as an absence from the interrogation list does not automatically mean the case has been closed, nor does it, in itself, allow the outcome of the suspect's case to be determined.

The investigation is broader and encompasses several strands, with charges alleging, to varying degrees, alleged corruption, false invoicing, illegal employment of workers, and relationships with individuals believed to be close to organized crime. The defense clarifies that Amato is not implicated in these additional chapters.

The position of the defense

"Antonio Amato is not among the twenty suspects for whom the investigating judge has ordered preliminary questioning," Simonetti reiterates. He also denies any connection between his client and the other strands of the investigation and disputes the manner in which his position has been represented.

"Dr. Amato reiterates his innocence in any illegal conduct," concludes the defense attorney.
The news on the case is reported by press sources and in the statement released by the defense; the entrepreneur's position therefore remains to be assessed within the framework of the official documents of the investigation.