Police on Thursday arrested six
people and issued orders to twelve others to appear before
judicial officials as part of an investigation into a disability
insurance scam that investigators say defrauded 1.5 million
euros from Italian social security institute INPS.
Three of those arrested were sent to jail, including
Giovanni Tantillo, 41, who police said is linked to the Borgo
Vecchio clan of the Cosa Nostra mafia in Palermo.
Investigators said they were tipped off to the scam when
Tantillo's ex-girlfriend brought them documentation of the
operation in order to exact revenge on Tantillo for cheating.
Giuseppe Cinà, 61, who went into early retirement at age 30
and was arrested in 2007 along with Tantillo on similar charges,
was also arrested and sent to jail Thursday along with his
driver and assistant Nicola Cipolla, 63.
The other three arrested were placed on house arrest.
Police said they confirmed 25 cases of fraudulent
disability claims in their investigation, but suspect there may
be as many as hundreds more.
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