06 March 2024, 16:43
1 minute read
PALERMO – The financiers went to search offices and homes. The investigation into the Department of European Studies “Jean Monnet”. He would have released fake titles. The Palermo Prosecutor’s Office has entered three people in the register of suspects for fraud, money laundering, self-laundering and tax crimes. They are professor Salvatore Messina, rector of the department, his son Dario, and Salvatore Culotta from Marsala.
The investigators of the economic and financial police unit led by Colonel Gianluca Angelini paid a visit in the headquarters of the “Jean Monnet” department in via XII Gennaio 1G, in the offices in via Umberto Giordano 67, and at the Messina home in via Giuseppe Sciuti.
The financiers had turned the spotlight on Messina and their corporate structure. Residence in Albania, company in London, but actually live and work in Palermo. Then the articles from the newspaper “La Repubblica” were added which reconstructed the alleged scam, giving voice to many students. They paid thousands of euros a year for a degree not recognized by the Italian University Ministry.
The Bosnian department appeared to operate in agreement with the university of Gorazde for courses in Italian. Culotta is the representative of “Italia è cultura srl”, one of the companies that would have been used by Messina to move the money paid by the students. We are talking about a figure close to 20 million euros. The investigation is coordinated by the deputy prosecutor Massimo Palmeri and the deputy Vincenzo Amico.
Salvatore Messina is under investigation for self-laundering, his son Dario for recycling. Culotta is registered in the register of suspects for fraudulent transfer of valuables. The financiers acquired agreements, registrations, correspondence and contracts.
Published on
06 March 2024, 16:43
