Gianni Alemanno to Serve Sentence in Rebibbia Prison
Rome, January 9 – Gianni Alemanno, former mayor of Rome and ex-Minister of Agriculture, will remain incarcerated in Rebibbia prison. The Cassation Court has rejected his appeal against a sentence of 1 year and 10 months for illicit influence peddling, a charge that emerged from one of the offshoots of the ‘Mondo di Mezzo’ investigation.
Alemanno, 66, had returned to prison a year ago following a decision by the Surveillance Tribunal, which revoked his alternative measure of social services. This revocation was due to his alleged violation of rules by associating with Paolo Colosimo, a lawyer convicted in the Fastweb trial and therefore a convicted felon. The decision on January 28, 2025, confirmed the 1-year and 10-month sentence for the former politician.
The ‘Mondo di Mezzo’ Investigation
Gianni Alemanno was investigated in the ‘Mondo di Mezzo’ inquiry shortly after his tenure as mayor of the capital. He received a notice of guarantee for mafia association (later dropped) and illicit party financing. Approximately 130,000 euros, according to the documents of the maxi-investigation dubbed ‘Mafia Capitale,’ were allegedly channeled to him by Salvatore Buzzi’s cooperatives, a figure historically associated with the center-left, as revealed by the Carabinieri del Ros investigations. By 2017, only the charge of illicit party financing remained, while the mafia association charge was dismissed, similar to other prominent figures among the more than forty involved in the Roman Tribunal’s judicial limbo.
Illicit Influence Peddling Conviction
The first-degree conviction was based on the following reasoning: “The organizational model used by Mayor Alemanno was certainly not a valid safeguard for transparency, economic efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration’s operations but contributed to the formation of gray areas capable of generating distorting and illegitimate behaviors.” Alemanno allegedly used these funds, originating from Buzzi, for “personal” purposes. The judicial ordeal continued to the Cassation Court, where his lawyer, Placanica, successfully reduced the charges, resulting in a sentence of one year and ten months for illicit influence peddling.
Following this, Alemanno began social services within a religious community. He also resumed his political activities, often appearing on television shows where he advocated for peace. Critical of the current executive, he attempted to reconnect with the remnants of the social right.
Further Developments and Reactions
Related reports indicate that Alemanno has faced challenges during his imprisonment, including issues with heating in Rebibbia prison, which he publicly criticized, calling for intervention from Justice Minister Carlo Nordio. He also reflected on his journey “from mayor to inmate,” describing it as an “emotional somersault.”
Salvini, after visiting Alemanno in Rebibbia, described him as “energetic and determined,” and Alemanno himself penned a letter from prison lamenting that “politics is on vacation, we are left like dogs on the highway.”
The Cassation Court’s decision solidifies the legal outcome of a significant chapter in recent Italian political and judicial history, reaffirming the sentence for illicit influence peddling.
