Santanchè case, for the Covid funds scam the Inps will be a civil party

The Italian National Social Security Institute (INPS) has requested and obtained the right to join as a plaintiff in the preliminary hearing, before the Milan gup Tiziana Gueli, against the Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè and two other defendants, including her companion Dimitri Kunz, and two companies in the proceedings for aggravated fraud against the institution in the Visibilia case.

For the prosecutors, Visibilia Editore and Visibilia Concessionaria, a company of the group founded by the FdI senator (from which she divested herself of offices and shares in 2022), asked for and obtained the 'cassa integrazione in deroga' (unemployment benefit) during the Covid pandemic period for 13 employees for EUR 126,000, but these employees were actually working.

In the same hearing, Visibilia Editore spa (itself a defendant) requested a plea bargain with the payment of a fine of EUR 23,000, in addition to the payment of the contested money in the Inps assessment reports.

The FdI senator's defence has requested that the proceedings be transferred for territorial jurisdiction to Rome, the headquarters of the social security agency. Milan's gup Tiziana Gueli will decide on the defence petition on 23 October.

The minister is optimistic: 'I exclude that a committal for trial will come today, then I am here to talk about politics and there is nothing to do with my political and ministerial activities,' Santanchè said in response to questions from the press on the judicial proceedings as she arrived at the inauguration of the Ttg Travel Experience, the tourism fair in Rimini. She replied to reporters who insisted and asked if she was worried: 'Do I look worried? I am optimistic.