800 million face masks from China are at the heart of the investigation into corona commissioner Domenico Arcuri. The businessman bought the mouth caps, which were found not to meet the standards after inspection, on behalf of the Italian state from three Chinese consortia. He paid an amount of 1.25 billion euros in public money for this.
In the deal, Italian companies acted as intermediaries, claiming tens of millions in commission. Except Arcuri, who in Italy has a Feike Sijbesmalike role, eight other people involved have been investigated in recent months.
The most important of them is Mario Benotti, journalist for the public broadcaster Rai, although he has been there for some time on leave. The investigation largely focuses on the relationship between Arcuri and Benotti, who is suspected to have acted as the link between the corona commissioner and Italian companies.
The two had contact through phone calls and messages no less than 1,282 times between January and May 2020, until Arcuri abruptly stopped responding to proposals from Benotti from May 7, who would have wanted to propose new trade in rapid tests, gloves and masks.
According to the Italian OM, part of the 800 million mouth caps that were taken turned out to be dangerous for health. In addition to the masks, houses, a boat weighing almost eight tons, motorcycles and luxury watches, all bought with money illegally earned in the deal, according to the authorities. In total, the Guardia di Finanza seized goods worth 69.5 million euros.
Politically sensitive
Arcuri was appointed by the previous prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, at the start of the pandemic. Already at the end of 2020, the first investigations into corruption surrounding the purchase of face masks started. When Mario Draghi took office as the new prime minister at the beginning of this year, he immediately had Arcuri replaced by a new corona commissioner.
The decision to prosecute Arcuri comes Monday right after local elections, much to the anger of far-right politicians Giorgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini, who have long been skeptical of Arcuri. They accuse the court that the timing is politically motivated.
Arcuri was the darling of the Five Star Movement and the center-left Partito Democratico, who was also in government at the time. By making the decision to prosecute him only after the elections, the court would like to save those parties who voted.
Despite the decision to prosecute, there is also good news for Arcuri: the Public Prosecution Service decided to drop the corruption charges against him. The charges for embezzlement and abuse of office will be further investigated in the coming months.
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