ROME - Two former employees of Anas, an Italian public-private company managing road infrastructure, are facing legal and financial scrutiny over alleged fraudulent activities tied to roadwork contracts in Friuli Venezia Giulia, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano. Authorities accuse Giuseppe Ferrara, former regional department head, and Gianpiero Dario, a former operational director, of orchestrating a scheme to falsify reports on nine contracts between 2014 and 2017. The fraudulent activity allegedly led to 565,884 euros in damages to Anas.

 The scheme involved the fabrication of documentation to simulate road maintenance and construction work that was either not performed or executed at reduced levels. Payments were made to contractors based on these falsified reports. Investigations revealed a parallel accounting system maintained by one of the suspects, which included falsified daily maintenance logs and measurement booklets. These documents induced errors in official approvals for payments to contractors, some of which were reportedly used for the suspects' personal home renovations.

 In March 2024, the case was highlighted by Tiziana Spedicato, a prosecutor at the Court of Audit, as an example of sophisticated fraud in public works. While criminal proceedings are ongoing, authorities have issued preventive measures, including the seizure of properties and assets, to mitigate further financial losses.

 This investigation underscores broader concerns about corruption in public infrastructure projects in Italy.

tjpw