ROME- Angelo Paris, manager of the infrastructure of Lombardy, was arrested together with Primo Greganti and five other people accused of corruption and tender fraud. The arrests were coordinated by Milan's public prosecutor’s office, with Dda Prosecutor Ilda Boccassini, Public Prosecutors Claudio Gittardi and Antonio D’Alessio supervising the investigation. Out of the seven people detained, only Angelo Paris, director of acquisition plans at the Expo 2015 in Milan, is in prison.

 According to the phone conversations intercepted by the police, Mr. Paris promised career advancements and political protection in exchange of illicit contracts. “I will offer you all the contracts you want if you favour my career,” said allegedly the convicted manager.

 Former members of the parliament were ordered jail custody: Gianstefano Frigerio of Christian Democracy, Forza Italia Luigi Grillo, and Primo Gregnati, who was also involved in the ‘90s scandalous “Mani Pulite” (Clean Hands) cases.

 Meanwhile, entrepreneur Antonio Rognoni was arrested on suspicion of similar involvement in securing illegal contracts for important public institutions, some of which associated with the Expo. Milan prosecutor Edmondo Bruti Liberati emphasized, “Through accelerated investigations we were able to eliminate what could have been harmful for the Expo.”  

 The investigation seems to have included former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, and former member of the parliament Cesare Previti, and Gianni Letta. Nonetheless, however, no accusations were made.

 Prime Minister Matteo Renzi declared: “Politics needs to stay out of these investigations.” The president of the Lombardy region, Roberto Maroni, said “[I am] grieved, yet I hope we can continue with our schedule to complete the Expo on time. In the Expo we require absolute transparency. It is saddening that certain old faces are still around.”