Prosecutors have launched interrogations of 24 individuals under investigation for alleged irregularities in municipal contract awards during Pesaro’s previous legislative term. Stefano Esposto, head of non-profit organizations Opera Maestra and Stella Polare, became the first suspect questioned when he appeared before authorities at approximately 10 a.m. today. His associations reportedly secured city contracts worth roughly €509,000 between 2019 and 2024.
Outside the courthouse, Esposto’s lawyer, Gherardo Saragoni Lunghi, declined to clarify whether his client testified before prosecutors or submitted a written statement. “My client will not make declarations while the investigation is ongoing. We must review documents before commenting,” Lunghi told awaiting journalists. He emphasized the case’s exceptional nature, citing intense media scrutiny and external pressures: “This isn’t an ordinary criminal proceeding. Documents will become public upon the investigation’s conclusion—then you’ll read everything. Justice must run its course in the courtroom.”