Two million euros under the microscope. These are the sums that entrepreneurs have been paying to Giovanni Toti since 2016. The governor of Liguria arrested as part of the investigation into corruption in Liguria is now seeing contributions exceeding 40,000 euros scrutinized. At the center is the Change Foundation. And the offense charged is different: illicit financing. Pietro Colucci, landfill contractor, paid 195 thousand euros between 2016 and 2020. In some cases without registration. But the investigators do not find any compensation. Meanwhile, prosecutors are also investigating Toti's campaign dinners. To participate, the price has been reduced: from a thousand to 450 euros. But the number of guests has increased. They are organized by the Presidential Committee following reports from the Bank of Italy on suspicious transactions. And according to the prosecution, it was also a way to compensate for the favors received.
The other investigation
The corruption file is explained today Republic, stems from another investigation into illicit financing. But it is for this reason that investigators scrutinized the two million arrivals in recent years. Among these are the 20 thousand euros from Luigi Amico, president of Amico&Co, leader in the renovation of superyachts. He is also under investigation for corruption. Colucci instead paid $195,000. Maurizio Rossi, publisher of Primocanale, is under investigation for illicit financing. While Francesco Moncada, director of Esselunga, also sees corruption being blamed on him. The two men reached an agreement to finance Marco Bucci, mayor of Genoa who is not under investigation, through an Esselunga advertisement on Primocanale LEDs. Among the financiers, there are also 100 thousand euros from Vincenzo Onorato, shipowner, or those from oil companies like Costantino from Europam. But also Gianluigi Aponte, owner of MSC.
President's dinners
Then there are the president's dinners. According to the prosecution, they were also used to compensate for favors received. In that of March 10, 2023, Aldo Spinelli must reimburse Toti for his help in a real estate speculation, that of Punta dell'Olmo in Celle Ligure. According to investigating judge Paola Faggioni, it was also possible to participate through a third party, with minimal and fragmented fees so as not to make the financing traceable. According to the investigating judge, as the electoral deadlines approached, Toti's needs increased. And to obtain his victory or that of the lists and candidates supported by his movement, he would have been ready to “sell off his function and his activity in exchange for funding, thus renouncing his important institutional functions”.
600 guests
The last one, which dates back to April 2024, welcomed 600 guests. To participate, you needed a subscription of 450 euros per person and the event was sold out the day before the event. In 2023, the quota per person for dinner was quite high (450 euros). In the order of the investigating judge Faggioni, it is reported that on March 6, 2023, a credit of 900 euros was made “to the current account held in the name of Centroservizi Derna srl (Spinelli Group), relating at the participation costs of two people. “. While on March 10 “a credit of 2,700 euros was recorded on the current account held in the name of Spinelli srl, relating to the participation costs of n. 6 people.” The same amounts, for a total of €3,600.00, we then read, “are also entered in the Register of entities making contributions to the Giovanni Toti Liguria Committee for the month of March 2023”.
Read also:
