ANAS official admits to corruption says defence lawyer

(ANSA)- Rome, October 26 - An official of Italian highway company ANAS has admitted to corruption, his defense lawyer said Monday.
    Giovanni Parlato was among a number of managers and officials arrested last week in a corruption probe into ANAS, which saw former transport ministry undersecretary Luigi Meduri also taken to Rome's Regina Coeli prison.
    Parlato admitted that 25,000 euros police found in an envelope in his car were a bribe.
    Also being questioned today are jailed suspects Antonella Accroglianò - who pled the fifth - Oreste De Grossi, Antonino Ferrante and Sergio Lagrotteria. Accrogliano' - an ANAS executive whom finance police investigators dubbed the Dark Lady - is thought to be the ringleader and allegedly steered work towards firms linked to Italy's richest and most powerful mafia, the Calabria-based 'Ndrangheta.
    Meduri is to be questioned tomorrow.
    The owners of several companies that won major public works contracts from ANAS and several lawyers are also under investigation in the probe.