Italy arrests dozens over Mafia scam of EU funds
- Country:
- Italy
Italian police said on Wednesday they had dismantled a massive Mafia operation in Sicily which had been defrauding the European Union of millions of euros in funds destined to farmers. A total of 94 people were arrested in the early-morning raids, said the public prosecutor in Messina in a statement.
Those arrested included the heads of two Mafia families, a notary, entrepreneurs, and public administrators tasked with helping farmers access funds. Since 2013, the so-called Tortorici Mafia - named after a town within the Nebrodi mountainous area in the island's northeast - had defrauded about 10 million euros ($11 million) from the EU, Rai24 reported.
The clan falsely claimed they owned plots of land that in reality were owned by the region and local councils, thereby tapping EU funding. Key to the plot were employees of a public agency for agricultural payments, which distributes EU funds to farmers, and those working for assistance centers set up to help farmers tap available funding.
In a charge sheet, Judge Sergio Matroeni said the swindle relied on the "unprincipled support" of white-collar workers with the "necessary know-how to infiltrate the Mafia into the nerve center of public funding" and knew how to exploit lax controls. Forty-eight of those arrested were sent to jail while the others were placed under house arrest, police said.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ALSO READ
Mandragora stunner helps Fiorentina beat Atalanta 1-0 in 1st leg of Italian Cup semifinal
Soccer-Juve condemn 'discriminatory chants' aimed at McKennie in Italian Cup semi
Italian tennis official suspended for 5 1/2 years for corruption breaches
Italian safety certification firm assesses Kavach system installed in Agra Rail Division
Giorgio Armani bags were produced by exploited Chinese workers near Milan, Italian police say