Campidoglio, fraud on contracts worth 100 million. Beacon on Jubilee funds. The Ryder Cup contract

The Guardia di Finanza is carrying out a series of searches, also in Campidoglio, as part of an investigation by the public prosecutor's office of Roma for corruption, bid-rigging, and fraud in public procurement in connection with contracts for the resurfacing of roads, which allegedly also concerns funds for the Jubilee. Among those under investigation are also officials of the capital's municipality.

The case revolves around the figure of Mirko Pellegrini, entrepreneur and dominus of a network of companies, including La Fenice srl, Ellepi srl, Cogefen srl, L.D.P Strade srl, and Road 95 srl. According to the public prosecutors of Rome, he is alleged to be the 'promoter and organiser and head of an association' for criminal conspiracy aimed at 'committing an indefinite series of offences - disturbing the freedom of tenders, fraud in public supply, corruption, money laundering and self-laundering - among others, aimed at illicitly pursuing contracts for asphalting works from Roma Capitale and other public bodies'. Moreover, it is alleged that he also obtained contracts 'through the creation of false accounting documents'.

Also included in the investigation is the alleged manipulation of the contract by Astral, the company controlled by the Lazio Region, for 'interventions on the regional road system for the sustainability of the Ryder Cup sports event, with a view to improving the capacity and usability of the infrastructure facilities'. The Ryder Cup is the international golf tournament. The contract, worth almost EUR 5 million, went to the company LDP Strade srl.

According to the investigators, 'by fraudulent means' the tender was disturbed.

According to the investigators, the alleged criminal association would have had traffic police employees of the Municipality of Rome on the payroll. The bribes would have fallen on the Romans. To pay them, the entrepreneur would have made big savings on materials, such as the bitumen used for the asphalt. It turned out that only a thin layer would be applied, with the result that the road surface would flake off in no time.