Attilio Fontana, governor of Italy’s Lombardy region and a member of right-wing League party, has denied wrongdoing after having been placed under investigation by authorities for suspected fraud in public procurement of medical equipment to tackle the coronavirus.
The probe, led by Milan prosecutors, concerns a public order placed in April for 75,000 surgical overalls and 7,000 sanitizing kits — worth €513,000 — to the company Aria S.p.a., owned by Fontana’s brother-in-law, and in which Fontana’s wife has a 10 percent stake.
The company decided to donate a first batch of 50,000 gowns once investigative program Report questioned Fontana’s brother-in-law — and placed the remaining 25,000 on the market.
Fontana then ordered a bank transfer of €250,000 from his private account in Switzerland to his brother-in-law. The payment was blocked by one of the banks, which notified financial police, Reuters reported.
“My assets are detailed in the declarations required by the transparency rules, there is nothing hidden and there is nothing to base false media scoops on,” Fontana wrote on Facebook late Saturday.
League leader Matteo Salvini defended Fontana, accusing the prosecutors of being politically motivated.
The 5Star Movement, governing in coalition with center-left Democratic Party, has called on Fontana to resign.