The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) on Monday announced the seizure of over €170,000 from far-right Italian MEP Stefania Zambelli (Lega), and four of her assistants, under the suspicion of fraud involving parliamentary allowances.
The Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) is looking into Zambelli's potentially fraudulent use of the EU budget, specifically regarding the remuneration of four parliamentary assistants (APAs) hired in Italy.
“Four members of staff did not carry out the activities for which they were hired, or only did them partially, falsely documenting their activities to the European Parliament,” the EEPO stated. Under European Parliament rules, MEPs can spend a maximum of 75% of their total budget to hire local assistants based in their home countries.
Yet there is evidence that the assistants misrepresented their qualifications, declaring educational and professional experience that they did not have.
A family affair
The EPPO is looking into whether Zambelli, who is closely related to at least one of the people hired, also benefited from European Parliament funds for the work activities that her staff should have performed.
Funds in bank accounts as well as luxury cars were seized by the Italian Financial Police on Thursday 23 February. The exact amount embezzled by Zambelli is €172,148.82.
Another man implicated is Marco Pacini, a well-known football ultras for AC Milan who is reportedly a partner of Zambelli's daughter.
Milan's Ultras. Credit: Morten F / Flickr
Pacini was allegedly hired by the Lega MEP despite the fact he has stable employment in Milan. Investigators think it unlikely that he would have been able to carry out the tasks for which he was hired.
Zambelli denies
In a statement on Monday evening, the MEP denied all accusations: "Neither me nor my staff have committed any wrongdoing." She suggested that she is being targeted by a parliamentary assistant who had also denounced her with the same arguments in 2019.
Asserting her innocence, Zambelli said she is willing to comply with the judicial authorities, and added that the previous case against her was dismissed by Parliament authorities with no further action. However, the EPPO has stated it has collected evidence against her.
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Zambelli has been an MEP for Matteo Salvini's Lega since 2019 and was also a candidate in the recent regional elections in Lombardy. She is a former Mayor of Salò in Lombardy.
The case is not believed to be connected to the Qatargate scandal. In January, it was revealed that Zambelli donated a salami sausage to Roberta Metsola, the European Parliament's president.
