Messina prosecutor opens investigation into reimbursements to former rector Cuzzocrea

Last Updated: October 29, 2023

The prosecutor’s office in Messina has opened an investigation into the reimbursement case involving former university rector Salvatore Cuzzocrea. The financial police have already acquired numerous documents and evidence as part of the investigation into alleged abuse of office. The issue was initially raised by Paolo Todaro, a member of the academic senate and secretary of the university guild, who brought attention to reimbursements totaling up to two million euros from 2019 to 2023 to Cuzzocrea. Todaro requested a verification of reimbursements amounting to 2,217,844 euros and notified the regional prosecutor of the Court of Auditors in Sicily, the national anticorruption authority, and the prosecutor’s office in Messina. Todaro has reportedly been questioned as a person with knowledge of the facts. This incident led to Cuzzocrea’s early resignation on October 9, triggering the election campaign for a new university leader scheduled for November. Cuzzocrea denied the allegations and referred to a smear campaign and a conspiracy within the University of Messina aimed at bringing him down. In his resignation letter, he portrayed himself as a victim of an internal plot at the university. This narrative was shared with the Conference of Italian Rectors (CRUI), of which Cuzzocrea was the president until his dismissal in December.