Italian regional leader and business chief held on corruption charges

The company held an emergency board meeting on Tuesday and handed the CEO's powers to its chairman and deputy chairman. As part of the same investigation Giovanni Toti, the centre-right president of Liguria, the region that includes Genoa, has been placed under house arrest, the prosecutors' statement added.

The head of Italian utility IREN and the president of the northwestern region of Liguria have been arrested on corruption charges, prosecutors in the port city of Genoa said on Tuesday. The investigation relates to the granting of port terminal contracts, building permits and a beach concession sought by Aldo Spinelli, an 84-year-old businessman well known in Italy as a former owner of professional soccer clubs Genoa and Livorno.

The arrest of Paolo Emilio Signorini, who became IREN CEO last year, relates to his previous role as head of the Ports of Genoa Authority, the prosecutors said, adding that he was being held in custody. The company held an emergency board meeting on Tuesday and handed the CEO's powers to its chairman and deputy chairman.

As part of the same investigation Giovanni Toti, the centre-right president of Liguria, the region that includes Genoa, has been placed under house arrest, the prosecutors' statement added. The accusations were set out in a 654-page arrest order that included transcripts from telephone interceptions of calls.

Although Italy has in recent years been spared the kind of high profile political corruption scandals that swept away its ruling class in the 1990s, cases of graft at a local level remain a problem that surfaces periodically. Toti, who has led the region for the past nine years, is part of Noi Moderati, a small party allied to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition.

LUXURY HOTELS AND GIFTS Toti's lawyer said his client would seek to clear his name.

"From what we have seen so far, these are all matters that can be explained as part of the legitimate administrative process," lawyer Stefano Savi said. Toti is accused of receiving 74,100 euros ($79,725) from Aldo Spinelli and his son Roberto Spinelli in return for a series of business favours.

Signorini is accused of accepting 15,000 euros in cash from Aldo Spinelli and other sweeteners including overnight stays in a luxury hotel in Monte Carlo, the prosecutors said. He is also accused of accepting gifts including a Chanel bag, and a Cartier gold bracelet worth 7,200 euros, as well as the use of Aldo Spinelli's credit card on a trip to Las Vegas.

Matteo Cozzani, Toti's chief of staff, is accused of striking votes-for-jobs deals with suspected members of a Sicilian Mafia clan based in Genoa, the prosecutors said. Cozzani and Aldo Spinelli have also been placed under house arrest as part of the investigation.

Prosecutors ordered the seizure of assets with a value of 570,000 euros from Signorini and the Spinellis. There was no immediate comment from representatives of Signorini, Cozzani or the Spinellis. ($1 = 0.9293 euros)

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