Milan finance police on Thursday
seized almost 48 million euros from Esselunga in relation to a
probe into alleged tax fraud and worker exploitation by the
supermarket chain.
The group was allegedly involved in a "complex tax fraud"
featuring fake invoices for services never provided as well as
so-called "manpower reservoirs" - agencies and cooperatives that
provide workers so the company that needs them does not have to
employ them directly - in logistics and goods transport.
Such 'manpower reservoirs' are frequently declared insolvent
soon after being set up.
In the confiscation order, Milan Prosecutor Paolo Storari said
Esselunga's "fraudulent" conduct had lasted for several years
and featured "the systematic exploitation of workers as well as
significant damage to the tax authority".
The supermarket chain's former and current finance directors are
under investigation.
The investigation crosses over with another probe coordinated by
Storari into the alleged exploitation of security guards by
Servizi Fiduciari, a cooperative that is part of the Sicuritalia
group.
The cooperative allegedly paid security guards just 5.37 euros
an hour gross and allegedly kept them in line with "acts of
violence (especially verbal), threats and intimidation".
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