Italian tax police search multiple offices in IT contracts probe

ROME, March 26 (Reuters) - Italian tax police searched the offices of several state-linked bodies and companies, as well as the workplace of a telecom executive in Rome, as part of an investigation into public IT procurement contracts, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.

The investigation is a further development of a 2024 probe previously launched into Sogei, the Treasury's IT company, that centres on an alleged scheme to rig IT procurement contracts through the creation of slush funds, the sources said.

Those targeted included Italy's power grid operator, TRN.MI, the national railway operator RFI, and Polo Strategico Nazionale (PSN), a company that manages cloud infrastructure for the public administration.

The sources said police also entered a defence ministry building and the office of a Telecom Italia (TIM) TLIT.MI executive in Rome.

The defence ministry said it would give its full support and utmost cooperation to the judicial authorities.

Terna, RFI, TIM and PSN, which is owned by TIM, Leonardo LDOF.MI, CDP Equity and Sogei, were not immediately available for comment.

Rome prosecutors were investigating alleged corruption and money laundering linked to some contracts put out to tender by the companies searched, as well as by the environment ministry, the sources said.

A total of 26 people were under investigation, the sources added.