Two entrepreneurs from Brianza are under investigation for alleged espionage, which also involves crypto, in favor of Russia.
In fact, through cryptocurrencies and contacts via Telegram, they allegedly gathered confidential information, proposing surveillance and sabotage actions in strategic Italian cities. Let’s see all the details in this article.
Possible collaboration with Russia: the accusation is of having provided sensitive information in exchange for the crypto Bitcoin
The Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office has turned the spotlight on an alleged espionage activity involving two entrepreneurs from Brianza, accused of having provided sensitive information to the Russian secret services in exchange for criptovalute.
The investigations, conducted by chief prosecutor Marcello Viola and his collaborators, have brought to light a network of hidden communications and payments. Thus revealing a disturbing picture of potential threats to national security.
The two men, identified as P.S., 60 years old, owner of a real estate company, and F.C., 32 years old, minority partner with declared sympathies for Moscow, have been accused of corruption in favor of foreigners with the aim of subversive terrorism.
That is to say, crimes contemplated by articles 246 and 270 bis of the Penal Code. The investigations began in April 2024, when the authorities identified suspicious communications between the two Italians and agents of the FSB, the Russian intelligence service.
The initial contact would have occurred through an email sent to the institutional account of the Moscow secret services, and then continued on messaging platforms like Telegram.
According to reports, P.S. and F.C. were tasked with collecting images of strategic locations in Italian cities, such as Milan and Rome, and monitoring military sites, including the Aviano base.
Furthermore, they would have proposed the installation of cameras on Milanese taxis to gather information on the movements of individuals of interest.
Among the documented activities is the tailing of a Roman citizen, identified as R.B., with the goal of photographing his residence, his car, and his acquaintances. In exchange, the two received payments in bitcoin, one of which amounted to 2,000 euros.
Missions, sabotages, and failed attempts
Among the information provided by the two entrepreneurs were shots of the Duomo di Milano and details on technicians capable of building drones. However, the missions were not limited to simple photographs.
In some intercepted chats, P.S. allegedly offered his Russian contacts access to confidential information from the NATO, which he claimed to obtain from Italian intelligence service men.
The conversations, now partially published by Fatto Quotidiano, show how P.S. promised to physically bring some dossiers to Russia, although the agreement was never finalized.
Other hypotheses of sabotage, which should have taken place in Rome, remain at the center of the investigations. Overall, the two would have received a total of 10,000 euros in cryptocurrencies.
However, before the authorities could seize further evidence, P.S. and F.C. had already deleted much of their conversations with the FSB.
The investigation and the legal implications
The activity of the two entrepreneurs suddenly stopped in May 2024, shortly after the start of the investigation.
The Italian authorities have initiated searches and seizures, bringing to light further details about the network of contacts and the organization of operazioni di spionaggio.
In addition to corruption in favor of foreigners, the accusations also include attempts to create a monitoring network to capture faces, meetings, and movements through strategically positioned cameras.
The Milanese taxi cooperatives involved in the plan rejected the proposal, thus preventing the project from taking shape.
A crucial element of the investigations is represented by the possible involvement of other subjects. The investigators are examining whether there have been further collaborations with members of the armed forces or Italian institutions.
The case arises at a delicate moment for relations between Russia and the West, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and the growing tensions on the international level.
The accusations against the two entrepreneurs reflect not only the risk of foreign infiltration, but also the ease with which cryptocurrencies can be used to finance attività illecite.
The Prosecutor’s Office of Milan emphasizes that the use of bitcoin and other digital currencies makes it difficult to trace money flows, offering an ideal channel for financing espionage and terrorism operations.
