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The Taranto Public Prosecutor’s Office is seeking house arrest for the former CEO of Ilva, Lucia Morselli
Arrest warrants have also been sought for Alessandro Labile, the former head of the Environment department at the steelworks, and for an ISPRA executive. Disqualification orders have also been issued for a further ten people, including managers and department heads.
26 OCT 26
Last updated: 02:19 PM
Translated by AI
The Taranto Public Prosecutor’s Office has requested house arrest for Lucia Morselli, former chief executive of Acciaierie d’Italia; for Alessandro Labile, former director of the Environment Department at the steelworks; and for Francesco Astorri, the ISPRA official responsible for the assessment and monitoring of facilities of national strategic interest, a category which includes the former Ilva. For a further ten individuals, including managers and department heads, the prosecutors are seeking disqualification orders.
At the heart of the investigation is the alleged pollution caused by the plant’s emissions between 2019 and 2024. According to the prosecution’s case, the plant’s management was allegedly geared towards maximising production and profits at the expense of environmental protection. Morselli led Acciaierie d’Italia during the period when ArcelorMittal was the majority shareholder; this management structure came to an end in February 2024 when the company was placed in special administration, a process which is still ongoing.
There are 28 suspects, plus five companies. Eight of them are charged, according to the prosecution’s case, with criminal conspiracy aimed at committing offences against the environment, public safety and the public administration. The fact that the list of those subject to the precautionary measures also includes an official from the public body responsible for carrying out inspections makes the situation particularly sensitive: the investigation focuses not only on those who were producing the goods, but also on those who were supposed to be supervising them.
The suspects have been served with a notice to attend a preliminary hearing before Investigating Magistrate Francesco Maccagnano, who will now have to assess the requests made by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The investigation is being led by public prosecutors Mariano Buccoliero, Francesco Ciardo (now at the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Lecce) and Francesco Sansobrino.