Heads of two Italian tech firms investigated in bribery probe

:Italian authorities are investigating the heads of listed companies Digital Value and Olidata over alleged corruption in public procurement contracts, according to legal documents reviewed by Reuters.
The Rome Prosecutor’s Office had earlier said that Italian tax police had raided the offices of IT service provider Digital Value and technology consultancy Olidata.
According to a decree authorising the search of properties seen by Reuters on Tuesday, the investigation concerns alleged bribes to officials of state-owned IT company SOGEI to obtain contracts, and involves 14 companies.
The 18 people under investigation include Andrea Stroppa, who is described in the document as the Italian reference point for a major U.S. supplier of satellite services.
Digital Value said it had learnt on Monday night that its Chair and CEO Massimo Rossi was under investigation for alleged corruption related to supply contracts signed by the company.
Olidata Chair Cristiano Rufini, who is also among those being investigated, said his company had acted correctly and was ready to cooperate with the investigation.
“We trust in the work of the competent authorities and are confident that the transparency of our actions will be clarified,” Rufini said in a statement.
The Guardia di Finanza tax police are probing alleged corruption in the procurement of IT and communication services tendered by SOGEI, an IT company fully owned by Italy’s finance ministry, as well as by the interior and defence ministries, according to the statement from the Rome prosecutor’s office.
In the search document, Rome prosecutors said that Stroppa was contacted by an Italian naval officer to bring Olidata in on the deal to acquire satellite services. The officer also offered to disclose confidential information on decisions taken in ministerial meetings for the benefit of Stroppa and associates.
Stroppa, who described himself as an adviser to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink which offers satellite internet services in Italy, denied wrongdoing.
“I would like to make clear that all my relations with public officials have been characterised by the utmost correctness and transparency,” he said in a statement to Reuters.
Starlink is not under investigation.
Shares in Olidata fell more than 13 per cent on Tuesday while trading in Digital Value was halted after it dropped by 10.5 per cent.