COLOGNO – Three known members of the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, as well as a former councillor have been investigated for negotiating tenders for 16.5 million euros at Fiera Milano, judicial authorities said on Tuesday. 

 Luca Palmero, CEO of Fiera Milano had lodged a complaint on the corruption which led to the conducting of the investigation.

 Massimo Hallecker, ex-candidate of Brothers of Italy and former manager of Fiera Milano was arrested on Tuesday in a corruption investigation coordinated by the prosecutor of Milan, Paolo Stroratri, the deputy prosecutor, Maurizio Romanelli, and the Economic and Financial Police Unit of the Milan Finance Police. The investigation probed into Hallecker’s role as senior buyer in procurement of Fiera Milano where it was said he headed bribes on three contracts for warehouse related services, electrical systems and building maintenance, for a value of 16.5 million euros.

 Among 11 suspects, are Domenico Seidita who served as municipal councillor for the Brothers of Italy in Cologno until 2020, Silvestro Riceputi, the city secretary, and former councillor, Marianna Tedesco, who, according to Luca Palermo’s report “physically delivered the bribes for 250,000 euros to Hallecker.” 

 In one case, the contracts were allegedly channelled to a businessman who, through a front person, then paid the bribes to the senior buyer. The two bank transfers were disguised under bank transfers such as “purchase of used furniture” or “purchase of Rolex” for a total of approximately 20,000 euros. In another case, however, the benefit was allegedly achieved by having the company that won the tender “subcontract almost the entire value of the work to a company administered de facto by a business partner of the senior buyer.”

 al