Former senator faces house arrest for corruption charges
Former senator Nino Papania, from Trapani, has been banned from residing in Palermo and Trapani as part of a precautionary measure. He is among the 14 people affected by the measures out of 24 investigated in an operation conducted by the Guardia di Finanza of Trapani. The operation was coordinated by the substitute prosecutors of the Eppo (European Public Prosecutor’s Office), Calogero Ferrara and Amelia Luise, and by the District Attorney’s Office of Marsala. Among those involved are politicians who hold or have held positions in the municipalities of Marsala, Custonaci, Buseto Palizzolo, Calatafimi-Segesta, Castellammare del Golfo, and Erice.
They are accused of contributing to the system established by former senator Nino Papania, founder of the Via movement and alleged mastermind of an illicit mechanism. Papania was arrested on September 16 for mafia-linked political exchange. The investigating judge of Trapani, Massimo Corleo, has imposed a ban on residence in Palermo and Trapani for Papania, while four others have been placed under house arrest. The charges include aggravated fraud for obtaining public funding, corruption, embezzlement, money laundering, and self-money laundering. Assets worth €9 million have been seized. The investigation has shed light on a system of aggravated fraud for obtaining public funding, corruption, embezzlement, money laundering, and self-money laundering.
The main “promoter and organizer” was the former senator, supported by a leader of the Movement for Autonomy, as well as by representatives of the Via, Values, Commitment, Action movement, a member of the Via movement in Marsala, and a former councilor of the municipality of Cinisi (Palermo). The main suspects, using entities such as Cesifop (Sicilian Center for Professional Training), Ires (Institute for Economic and Social Studies and Research), and the Tai Association, obtained over €8.7 million in funding from the European Social Fund 2014/2020 for training courses and social projects, some of which were not carried out as revealed in the investigations. It was discovered that six local politicians, four of whom are currently councilors in the municipalities of Marsala and Custonaci, and their relatives were given or promised job positions, appointments, and promotions at the training institutions involved in exchange for their support for the political movement mentioned above.
Voti e affari: scatta il divieto di dimora per l’ex senatore
Sicilian news
Tutte le Notizie in Italiano
SIGDS