Italy: Civil servants suspected of corruption with RRF funds and involvement in criminal organisation

Luxembourg: At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Rome (Italy), the Italian State Police (Polizia di Stato) have carried out several house searches, arrests and seizures in the Lazio and Campania regions, in a probe into an alleged criminal association suspected of corruption for the award of projects funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) for Italy.

Five civil servants, including the mayor, of the municipality of Ceccano are suspected of involvement in a criminal organisation operating a sophisticated corruption scheme. The investigation, code-named ‘The Good Lobby’, revealed that multiple individuals and companies were awarded public contracts, valued at a total of €5 million and financed by the RRF, in exchange for bribes.

Among the different projects, awarded between 2021 and 2023, were earthquake-proofing works at the elementary school of Ceccano, public infrastructure safety improvements in the city and a project on migrant reception and accommodation services within the city.

It is alleged that a part of the bribe paid by the project beneficiaries was directly transferred to the members of the association, and another part was transferred to shell companies managed by the suspects, who in return issued false invoices.

The Italian State Police (Polizia di Stato) executed precautionary measures against 13 suspects. These measures included the house arrest of ten suspects and three suspects were subjected to restrictive measures, prohibiting them from engaging in business activities or holding managerial positions for one year.

The judge for preliminary investigations at the Court of Frosinone had issued a freezing order of €500 000, which the Italian State Police (Polizia di Stato) is currently executing.

All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Italian courts of law.

The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.