MILAN – Italian authorities have placed four individuals under house arrest, investigating their alleged role in unauthorized access to state databases by a private intelligence firm managed by a former police officer, a source close to the matter disclosed.
Among those reportedly involved is Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, son of the late billionaire Leonardo Del Vecchio, founder of Ray-Ban-owner Luxottica. Prosecutors believe Del Vecchio commissioned the intelligence firm to access confidential data as his family’s heirs remain embroiled in an inheritance dispute following his father’s passing in 2022.
The Milan investigation alleges the intelligence firm illegally accessed three critical national databases: one containing alerts on suspicious financial activities, another managed by Italy’s tax agency that tracks bank transactions and income statements, and a third database used by police for investigations. Italy’s national anti-mafia prosecutor, Giovanni Melillo, warned that the probe underscores the rise of a “gigantic market for confidential information” in a business-oriented structure, according to ANSA news agency.
This latest investigation comes amid heightened scrutiny of data security, following a substantial data breach at Italy’s largest bank, Intesa Sanpaolo.