ROME – A former Italian admiral, Matteo Bisceglia, is under investigation for the alleged rigging of defence contracts after the interception of hundreds of phone calls, according to judicial sources. Mr. Bisceglia was chief inspector admiral until Sept. 18 2019, and through his role as head of the Naval Armaments Directorate of Rome, allegedly involved himself with companies to which he subcontracted naval projects.

  In the order for pre-trial detention, investigating magistrate Benedetto Ruberto has claimed that Bisceglia’s claim not to know businessman Pasquale De Salvia, and his relationship with businessman Armando De Comite, still need to be verified, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano.

  On Feb. 20 police made 12 arrests in Taranto in connection with the case, but since then the number of additional suspects has risen to 20, one of which is Mr. Bisceglia. The assistant prosecutor Maurizio Carbone as described the uncovering of a potential "business cartel," as quoted in Il Fatto Quotidiano.

  If the investigation confirms corruption at the top of the Italian navy, it would cause a scandal in Rome.

  Meanwhile, it was also revealed that, in Sicily, the financial police unit based in Palermo have seized 14 companies on Wednesday morning that were worth an estimated 24 million euros, according to Corriere Della Sera.

  The police also executed four pre-trial detention prison orders and made 12 house arrests, in what amounts to an agricultral corruption scandal which involves businessmen, lawyers, and multiple public officials one of which is the ex-mayor of San Cipirello.

  Those involved have been implicated under various allegations of criminality, including fraud, corruption, and concealment, La Stampa report.

  The investigation revolves around the funding process behind the ‘Sicily Rural Development Programs’ and applications for obtaining EU and national funding through it. The Palermo Prosecutor's Office has said that the investigation has ascertained “the existence of a ruthless criminal consortium."

  In what amounts to a multi-million euro scam, it has been alleged that six million euros was siphoned off for the renovation of a farm and the construction of a slaughterhouse, and over four million euros was taken for the construction of an agro-industrial complex, according to pupia.tv.

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