AST, discovered by the GDF rigged races and scams: one person arrested and 16 suspects

The financiers of the provincial command of Palermo have carried out a precautionary measure against 9 people under investigation in various capacities for corruption for an act contrary to official duties, disturbed freedom of enchantments, disturbed freedom of the procedure for choosing the contractor, ideological falsehood in progress public supply, fraud in public supplies and aggravated fraud to the detriment of the State.

One suspect is under house arrest and eight have been notified of suspension from the exercise of a public office or service and a ban on contracting with the public administration for one year. There are 16 suspects in total. The investigations, conducted by specialists from the Palermo economic-financial police unit – Public Expenditure Protection Group, concerned the AST which carries out the local public transport service, both at urban and interurban level. According to the Guardia di Finanza, corporate management by the company’s top management would have been “superficial and private”.

The management of the Ast would also have violated the rules on public transparency with the complicity of some entrepreneurs, disturbing various procurement procedures such as those on the purchase of tires, to the detriment of other possible suppliers, on the procurement of company buses, through recourse to the negotiated procedure, on the assignment of the auditing service and on the provision of services for the start-up phases of an airline.

An investigation that overwhelms the Sicilian Transport Company and shakes the Sicilian Region. Rigged contracts, favors and politically driven hiring.

At the request of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the former director general Ugo Fiduccia ends up under house arrest. While for the former president Gaetano Tafuri, the ban is triggered for 12 months.