Milan Chief Prosecutor Marcello Viola confirmed on Saturday that most illegal dossier gathering in Italy targets the economic sector.
Viola spoke during a press conference on a significant probe into unauthorised snooping, which led to six arrests on Friday.
The most relevant front seems to be the world of economics and entrepreneurship,” said Viola. “At the moment, there are no significant emergencies that lead to the world of politics.”
Investigators revealed Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, son of Luxottica boss Leonardo Del Vecchio, is now under investigation. He faces scrutiny in a Milanese mafia probe that also targets banker Matteo Arpe. Six arrests were made on Friday, implicating a network allegedly carrying out illegal dossier gathering.
Judicial sources reported this alleged organisation included hackers, IT consultants, and police officers involved in illegal data access. The organisation allegedly collected thousands of records from national strategic databases. Former ‘super policeman’ Carmine Gallo was placed under house arrest. Investigators said the probe also includes former employees of the Milan investigation firm SKP.
Gigantic market for confidential information
National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor Giovanni Melillo addressed the press, highlighting the discovery of a concerning market for confidential information. “This investigation allows us to connect some dots and better understand this gigantic market for confidential information with an entrepreneurial dimension in the acquisition of confidential information,” he said. He called the case “an alarming affair.”
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio expressed the need for urgent legislative updates, noting hackers continue to outpace law enforcement. “The bad guys are increasingly ahead of the States themselves,” he said. “They even managed to hack the Kremlin. We must activate efforts to align the current legislation but also use our imagination because we must foresee what the bad guys will be able to do.”
Nordio highlighted advancing technology often outpaces the law. “Technology is advancing faster than the laws; it has done so in all sectors, starting with bioethics,” he noted. He urged for updated legislation and proactive strategies to predict criminal advances. He also warned that Artificial Intelligence increases the risk of data manipulation, which could soon worsen.
“We are all exposed to the risk of dossiers,” Nordio added. “The real problem that will arise is not so much that of data capture. Soon, and perhaps already now, with Artificial Intelligence, it will be possible to manipulate this data. It will be even worse; it will be easy to create a sort of virtual reality in a very short time.”
Probe primarily concerns economic sector
Viola reiterated that the probe primarily concerns the economic sector. “The most relevant front seems to be the world of economics and entrepreneurship,” he stated. “At the moment, there are no significant emergencies that lead to the world of politics.”
In a similar incident, a bank spying case in Bari saw a rogue employee from Italy’s largest bank allegedly accessing VIP clients’ bank records. The employee reportedly viewed the accounts of public figures, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, her former partner Andrea Giambruno, Senate Speaker Ignazio La Russa, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, and many others.
When asked about a possible plot against the government, as suggested by Meloni, Nordio agreed. “Looking at the results of these investigations, I certainly agree with the Prime Minister,” he said. “There was a dossier aimed at people of high political standing. That was the intention, but the results proved to be counterproductive for those who activated that operation,” Nordio concluded.
