An investigation revealed illegal access to state data banks, in order to compile files against economic, media and political figures.
The aim of the operation would have been, according to the national anti-mafia prosecutor’s office, to constitute files which are then the subject of financial transactions for the purposes of blackmail, to feed a “huge market for confidential information”according to the terms chosen by Giovanni Melillo, the national anti-mafia prosecutor, during a press conference on Saturday. For her part, the president of the council, Giorgia Meloni, declared that “no state of law can tolerate the recording“, adding that Italy could be confronted in this case with a case of “subversion“.
Carried out from Milan, the investigation revealed a criminal network for theft of state databases containing sensitive information in order to “influence“citizens and institutions.
Among the personalities targeted in the hundreds of thousands of misappropriated documents are the president of the Italian Senate, Ignazio La Russa, the head of the, Sergio Mattarella, and the former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.
Six suspects must be questioned by investigators this weekend. In all, the investigation concerns around fifty individualsaccused of having contributed to this information capture system which reveals serious security flaws in the confidential databases of the Italian State.
Files for blackmail purposes
At the center of the investigation, also underway at the Rome prosecutor’s office, are two people under house arrest since last Friday. Four other people are accused of improper access to a computer system, corruption and disclosure of state secrets.
Among them, Carmine Galloa former police officer with extensive experience in kidnapping and organized crime cases, and Nunzio Samuele Calamuccia computer scientist considered by investigators to be the operational arm of the data theft.
At a private residence, paper archives were seized, containing files on “thousands of topics“, according to Carmine Gallo’s statements in telephone intercepts collected by investigators.
THE group revolves around the company Equalizewho, through support within institutions and law enforcement and a London society, operated to illegally access the computer system of the Italian Ministry of the Interior.
This computer network contains data on investigations, such as information on criminal networks, complaints, personal, banking and tax data. The thefts also concern other databases, in particular a system for exchanging financial informationwhich provides access to payments and tax declarations for all Italian citizens.
One minus one foreign intelligence service involved
Magistrates order seizure of server in Lithuania, plan to send commission rogatory to the United Kingdom to investigate in Londonwhere, according to wiretaps of one of the accused, the data center of the operation was located.
“I made backup units, one in the London office and another in LithuaniaI’m telling you the truth because it was the cheapest place to buy servers“, said computer scientist Nunzio Samuele Calamucci in one of the judicial wiretaps reported by Italian media.
According to investigators, these files were then resold to clientsincluding at least one foreign intelligence service, for an amount of more than 5 million euros by Equalize and other complicit companies.
“A targeted case has been created against high-ranking political figures“, declared Sunday the Minister of Justice, Carlo Nordio, who evokes a “conspiracy“.
“This data can be used by those who are our enemies from a geostrategic point of view“, declared in recent days the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani. “It is not excluded that Russia or other countries will use them” Mr Tajani said at a meeting of his party, Forza Italia.
Among those spied on are Russian citizens who have invested in Italy in the hospitality and fashion sectors, as well as individuals linked to Russian political circles.
