The legal saga surrounding Giovanni Toti has come to a close, as the former governor of the Liguria region reached a plea agreement today. After spending seven months under house arrest, Toti has accepted a sentence of two years and three months, converted into 1,620 hours of community service. The preliminary hearing judge, Matteo Buffoni, ratified the terms agreed upon between Toti and the prosecution. Toti will fulfill his community service at the Italian League Against Cancer in Genoa, handling communications and managing patient appointment calls. He has received a special exemption allowing him to work more than 15 hours a week and extend his service across Italy.
Alongside Toti, the cases of Paolo Emilio Signorini, the former president of the Western Ligurian Port Authority, and entrepreneur Aldo Spinelli were also resolved, with sentences of three years and five months, and three years and three months, respectively. Toti faces charges of corruption related to the exercise of his duties and illegal party financing. According to Genoa’s chief prosecutor, Nicola Piacente, the wiretaps conducted during the corruption investigation lasted one year and four months, not four years as previously suggested, with total costs reaching €396,000. The expenses for the wiretaps will be borne by the defendants.
Following the ruling, Piacente emphasized the respectful and low-profile approach taken during the investigation, expressing hope that this methodology could be replicated in future cases of similar significance. He affirmed the prosecution’s commitment to adhering strictly to the law, despite facing external criticism. Piacente concluded by acknowledging the challenge of protecting the integrity of his colleagues involved in the investigation, hoping that some restitution could be achieved through today’s resolution.
