Six years of imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from holding public office for Claudio Bruno Zago, 65, former civil servant and mayor of Ardauli, found guilty of having stolen over 750 thousand euros from the coffers of the municipalities of Nughedu Santa Vittoria, Bidonì and Neoneli.

The sentence, issued by Judge Marco Mascia with an abbreviated procedure, also provides for an initial compensation of over 376 thousand euros in total in favor of the local authorities that joined as civil parties.

According to the investigations, Zago would have systematically altered the payment orders, inserting his own bank accounts in place of those of suppliers and companies. The sums thus collected, about 6 thousand euros per month, were invested in cryptocurrencies and financial markets, with the illusion of generating profits and subsequently to cover losses.

The sentence also includes the confiscation of assets for 693 thousand euros . The civil parties, assisted by lawyers Luca Casula and Massimo Ledda, obtained provisional compensation: 250 thousand euros to Bidonì, 100 thousand to Nughedu and over 26 thousand to Neoneli. The investigation began after a report by some municipal employees. The judge imposed a more severe sentence than that requested by the PM Paolo De Falco, who had stopped at five years without compensation.