Anti-corruption sweep nets more Finmeccanica bosses

THE NET encircling Italian defense contractor Finmeccanica continues to haul in some big fish in an ongoing anti-corruption sweep.

Authorities have detained two former senior employees of the company which had multiple dealings with Panama.

Those arrested were former Finmeccanica officials Lorenzo Borgogni and Stefano Carlini, as well as businessmen Vincenzo Angeloni and Luigi Malavisi.

They are accused of corruption in connection with waste recycling.

Officials also searched the home of Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, Finmeccanica's chairman until December 2011.

Borgogni, Carlini and Guarguaglini were employed by the consortium when the government of Panama awarded Finmeccanica a contract for the purchase of six helicopters, 19 radars and a digital map.

Alleged bribes tied to that contract have resulted in charges against two other people, one of whom worked for the company.

As part of the latest investigation, police have searched numerous domestic and foreign bank accounts. They say the corruption charges are linked to a network for foreign bank accounts used for laundering the illicit payments reports La Prensa.