** The Milan Review Court has revoked the arrests of businessman Andrea Bezziccheri and former landscape commission member Alessandro Scandurra. Both men, detained on July 31st in a probe into Milanese urban planning irregularities (Bezziccheri in prison, Scandurra under house arrest), have been released, as first reported by Corriere della Sera online.
The court’s written justification is expected within 45 days. Hearings are scheduled for August 14th for businessman Federico Pella, former city planning official Giancarlo Tancredi, and former landscape commission member Giuseppe Marinoni to appeal their house arrests. Manfredi Catella’s hearing follows on August 20th. Bezziccheri, head of Bluestone, was the only suspect initially jailed by preliminary investigations judge Mattia Fiorentini.
Newly submitted chat evidence from the Milan Prosecutor’s Office reveals collusion. In a group chat titled ‘Pirellino’, ex-urban planning assessor Tancredi asked property magnate Manfredi Catella, “But can you confirm me as assessor?”. Catella replied, “You guys are the best ever. If you want, I’ll be your secretary.” Christian Malangone, the City Hall Director General (not under investigation), added, “I’ll get that tattooed on my back.”
Prosecutors Tiziana Siciliano, Petruzzella, Paolo Filippini, and Mauro Clerici cited this exchange, stating Tancredi “is aware that his actions maximize Coima’s interests,” even joking about Catella personally reappointing him as Urban Regeneration assessor “as if [Catella] were the mayor of Milan.” They assert the evidence shows “conduct aggravated to the point of assuming disconcerting dimensions and raising genuine social alarm,” involving “the trafficking of public office by Assessor Tancredi in concert with General Secretary Malangone, the flouting of laws, and an attack on urban planning democracy.”
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