Manfredi Catella, founder of real estate firm Coima, described the acquisition of Milan’s Pirellino tower as “the biggest rip-off I have ever suffered” during a July 23 interrogation. Catella, currently under house arrest in a Milan urban planning corruption investigation, made the statement before investigating judge Mattia Fiorentini.
He vehemently denied allegations that Coima selected professionals for municipal landscape commissions due to their advisory roles, calling it “impossible” given the company’s responsibilities toward institutional stakeholders like Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and Intesa San Paolo. “Why would we expose ourselves to this situation I’m experiencing today, which obviously worries me immensely?” Catella stated, repeating the denial twice.
Coima purchased Pirellino (Pirelli Tower 39) for €193 million, but Catella claims former urban planning councillor Pierfrancesco Maran imposed unexpected zoning restrictions (Ers) just two months after the February 2020 deed. “We opposed this not because we’re against Ers,” Catella testified, “but because they sold me a freely usable building and then changed its rules—like buying an apartment and being told two rooms must be rented for free.”
This dispute triggered an ongoing lawsuit in which Coima seeks €69 million in damages from Milan’s municipal government. The investigation centers on alleged corruption involving Alessandro Scandurra, a municipal committee member responsible for evaluating urban regeneration projects through paid consultancy roles.
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