Banca del Fucino chiefs accused of plotting against Lazio chairman Lotito

Banca del Fucino chiefs accused of plotting against Lazio chairman Lotito

(ANSA) - ROME, 15 SET - Carabinieri police on Tuesday searched properties linked to the top brass of a small Rome-based bank, Banca del Fucino, in relation to a probe into allegations they were involved in market manipulation aimed at forcing Lazio Chairman Claudio Lotito out of the Serie A club. Banca del Fucino President Mauro Masi and Francesco Maiolini are under investigation along with Luigi Bisignani, a former reporter who has been struck off by the Italian journalists guild and has been involved in several criminal cases in the past. The alleged market manipulation dates back to June 2024 and is "still ongoing", prosecutors said. The three were allegedly behind the spread of fake news that affected the club's share price, including recent reports that Lotito was about to sell Lazio and reports he wanted to deliberately have the team relegated in order to pocket a 35-million-euro 'parachute' payment for sides that are demoted from the top flight. Lotito, who is also a Senator for the centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party, is deeply unpopular with most Lazio fans for not investing the money needed to build a team capable of competing for major trophies. Many of the Rome club's fans have been boycotting the team's home games since the middle of last season as part of an effort to pressure Lotito into selling up. (ANSA). Read article...