05 November 2024
If, as the national Anti-Mafia prosecutor Giovanni Melillo claims, the investigation into Milan’s spies “allows us to start connecting some dots” to “understand the functioning of a gigantic market in confidential information”, it is no mystery that the investigative attention focus now on frontman Enrico Pazzali. A manager who, enjoying esteem in institutional and judicial circles, would have commissioned dossiers on politicians and opponents for personal interests. His role as majority shareholder in Equalize, together with the policeman Carmine Gallo, remained in the shadow of the office overlooking the Duomo. On the outside he held the position of president of the Fiera Foundation, thanks to which he carried out a lobbying activity to gain credibility with politicians. And also with senior finance officials. Pazzali boasts of having close relations with General Cosimo Di Gesù, at the top of the Sicily Region, linked to the former commander Giuseppe Zafarana and trusted officer of the former Rome prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone.
Between one meeting and another, he telephoned the file center to request unauthorized access to the databases. And he tried to influence government appointments, as in the case of CDP. And he still frequented magistrates, to glean secret information or test the waters on possible investigations.
It is the Carabinieri of the Varese Unit who write it in the information: «It is reported that this PG has noted on many occasions, even in the presence of this AG, that Pazzali Enrico frequents the Palace of Justice where he has institutional andor friendly meetings with numerous workers. As indicated in the environmental conversation of 11/12/2023 by Calamucci (Nunzio Samuele, the group’s IT expert), Pazzali would frequent the Milanese judicial circles as a necessity that responds to a specific tactic that would like to direct criminal action while guaranteeing impunity or at least presenting himself as an “unsuspecting” person and “close to the institutions”. A conduct, portrayed as lawful by virtue of his institutional role, which the president would have practiced since he was called by the government of former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to Eur Spa.
The same Renzi against whom the founder of Equalize ordered a dossier in January 2023. Not to mention that a few weeks earlier, on 2 December 2022, Pazzali «had contacted a public prosecutor serving in Rome, who revealed to him in a friendly manner that he was busy preparing a hearing involving Tiziano Renzi and the major of the carabinieri Giampaolo Scafarto as well as the testimony of Matteo Renzi”, writes the Varese Unit, which does not name the magistrate. This is the Capitoline prosecutor Mario Palazzi, the accuser in the Consip trial which ended with the acquittal of father Renzi and the conviction of Scafarto for having revealed secret documents and falsified information against the father of the leader of Italia Viva. Interviewed by , prosecutor Palazzi confirmed the phone call and specified that the tenor of the conversation was friendly: «We are talking about a public hearing, we had known for three months who we needed to hear as witnesses. It’s non-news, which you use maliciously to say that Renzi was right that there was some sort of Specter against him. I had asked for Tiziano Renzi to be dismissed and the investigating judge made the compulsory indictment. It’s as if she called me, asked me how you are and I replied that I’m tired because I’m preparing for the hearing.”
Another Roman brought into play in the interceptions of the spies is the former vice president of the CSM, Giovanni Legnini, indicated as the sponsor of the entrepreneur Lorenzo Sbraccia. At the moment, the 41 pages of omission and the identity of the Palazzo Chigi officials visiting Equalize, under the Draghi government, remain a mystery.
#talking #friend #Tempo
**Interview with Cybersecurity Expert Dr. Elena Romano on Italy’s Cyber Espionage Scandal**
**Interviewer:** Good evening, Dr. Romano. Thank you for joining us today to discuss the recent cyber espionage scandal in Italy. Can you give us an overview of what has transpired so far?
**Dr. Romano:** Good evening, and thank you for having me. The situation in Italy has raised serious concerns, particularly involving high-profile figures and institutions. The investigation has revealed that Enrico Pazzali, a noted manager and majority shareholder of Equalize, appears to have commissioned unauthorized dossiers on political opponents and used his connections for personal gain. This is alarming as it unveils potential misuse of power and breaches of confidential information.
**Interviewer:** It sounds like a complex web of relationships and activities. How significant is the involvement of figures within judicial and political circles, like Pazzali’s reported interactions with magistrates?
**Dr. Romano:** It’s quite significant. The fact that Pazzali has maintained relationships within the judiciary—allegedly to garner confidential information—highlights a troubling intersection of power and influence. This could compromise the integrity of judicial processes and raise ethical questions regarding his motives. It’s critical for public trust that these institutions remain independent and transparent.
**Interviewer:** The investigation’s findings suggest that this isn’t just an isolated case. What does this imply about the broader landscape of cyber espionage and information security in Italy?
**Dr. Romano:** This scandal indicates a potential systemic issue regarding cybersecurity and the protection of sensitive information in Italy. If there exists a market for confidential data, as suggested by the Anti-Mafia prosecutor, we must question how pervasive this problem is. Institutions may need to tighten their cybersecurity measures and come together to address the vulnerabilities that allow such breaches to happen.
**Interviewer:** What steps do you think the Italian government should take in light of these revelations?
**Dr. Romano:** Immediate and thorough investigations are crucial, not just limited to Pazzali but also extending to any collaborators. Additionally, strengthening data protection laws and enhancing monitoring of how sensitive information is accessed and used within both public and private sectors is necessary. Public awareness campaigns on cybersecurity practices could also help mitigate risks.
**Interviewer:** Dr. Romano, your insights are invaluable. As this investigation unfolds, it will be interesting to see how Italy responds. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us today.
**Dr. Romano:** Thank you for having me. It’s imperative that we keep discussing these issues as they evolve.
