The investigation into a scheme for illegally accessing state databases and selling sensitive information has led to multiple arrests, with four individuals placed under house arrest and over 60 others under investigation. Among the notable figures involved are Enrico Pazzali, president of Fondazione Fiera Milano and a board member at Bocconi University; former police officer Carmine Gallo, a minority shareholder in the private investigation firm Equalize; and Nunzio Samuele Calamucci, a partner at an investigation agency and an IT expert.
Enrico Pazzali, 60, a Milan native, graduated in Business Administration from Bocconi and began his career in IT and telecommunications. His first major public sector role was in 2005 as the central director for organization, personnel, property, and IT systems in Lombardy. Known for his connections to the right-wing party Alleanza Nazionale (AN), Pazzali has managed to maintain relationships with politicians across the political spectrum. In 2009, with AN’s support, he became the CEO of Fiera Milano Spa but was replaced in 2015 due to unsatisfactory economic results and internal disputes. Following a series of investigations into mafia infiltration among fair suppliers, Pazzali was appointed by the Renzi government to manage Eur Spa and later returned to Milan as president of the foundation, supported by both right-leaning and left-leaning political figures.
During the COVID pandemic, Pazzali gained significant visibility for establishing a hospital for intensive care patients in a fair pavilion, earning local honors including the Rosa Camuna award and the Ambrogino d’oro from the city of Milan. However, by late 2018, he founded Equalize, a consulting firm in IT, which is now under investigation for its alleged role in a criminal organization involved in data theft.
According to the investigation documents, Pazzali, while not currently subject to preventive measures, is suspected of having a significant representative role due to his business connections and political relationships. Prosecutors allege that he was aware of the illegal operations at Equalize and actively requested information to exploit it for personal and professional gain, potentially to exert influence over political and business sectors or to harm the reputations of competitors.
Carmine Gallo, now under house arrest, is a 65-year-old former police officer from Gragnano, near Naples. He was known for his involvement in significant investigations into organized crime while serving as deputy head of the organized crime unit. His last role was as deputy head of the Rho-Pero police station, where he oversaw security during the Expo. In 2018, he retired and became a partner and CEO of Equalize. Prosecutors claim that Gallo played a key role in accessing state databases by involving active law enforcement officers, who allegedly provided information from various public databases.
Equalize reportedly also had direct access to sensitive data through hacking and a system called “Beyond,” which allowed it to access state databases without collusion from officials. Nunzio Samuele Calamucci, a 44-year-old engineer from Bollate (Milan), is believed to be the creator of “Beyond.” A minority partner in the private investigation firm Mercury Advisor, also under investigation, Calamucci has a background working with large companies and has ties to both Italian intelligence and the hacking group Anonymous. Prosecutors claim he coordinated the theft of information from various databases, directing a group of analysts and engaging directly with clients to provide confidential dossiers for a fee.
