At the center of the investigation is a 61-year-old businessman who has already been convicted of ties to the „Barcellonesi“ mafia clan. He is alleged to have run a kind of „shell company.“ According to investigators, the modus operandi was always the same: Legitimate companies that were awarded contracts for public works illegally subcontracted the work to this organization, which then provided personnel, machinery, and materials.
The group thus took control of major construction projects, including maintenance work on the A18 Messina-Catania and A20 Messina-Palermo highways, as well as projects in Brolo, Partanna, and Reggio Calabria. This apparently led to dangerous shoddy workmanship. Non-compliant lighting systems were reportedly installed in highway tunnels, and substandard sealing material was used on bridges. In addition, those in charge systematically relied on undeclared labor.
To launder the illegal profits, the organization used a money-laundering scheme involving a gas station. The station’s operator issued fake invoices for fuel deliveries that never took place. The construction companies transferred the amounts, after which the gas station operator returned the money in cash, minus a commission. This fictitious cash flow is estimated at approximately 377,000 euros.
The investigation was triggered by a report filed by a business owner in November 2021. He had noticed the 61-year-old man—who was known to the police—wearing work clothes at one of his construction sites, giving instructions.
