EditItalian justice undersecretary resigns after scandal over business ties to daughter of convicted mafia figure
The move appears to mark a hardening of Prime Minister Meloni’s attitude toward politicians in her environment facing public scrutiny
Andrea Delmastro has resigned as Italy’s undersecretary for justice, formally closing a controversy that in recent days had put mounting pressure on the government and, in particular, on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party. The resignation, which came on Tuesday evening just one day after the government’s defeat at the referendum, marks the first significant political fallout from the failed constitutional referendum on judicial reform.
In his statement, Delmastro described the episode as a “misjudgment”, while denying any wrongdoing. He reiterated his long-standing commitment against organised crime and said he had acted as soon as he became aware of the problematic aspects of the case.
The case: the company and indirect links to Caroccia
At the centre of the controversy is Le 5 forchette Srl, a company founded in December 2024 in Biella. Among its shareholders were Delmastro himself and Miriam Caroccia, then 18, the daughter of Mauro Caroccia, a Rome-based businessman later convicted with a final ruling for fictitious asset registration with a mafia-related aggravating circumstance, linked to the Senese criminal clan.
Italian justice undersecretary under fire over business ties to daughter of convicted mafia figure
The company owns a restaurant in Rome, “Bisteccheria d’Italia”, which falls within the business network through which, according to court rulings, Caroccia helped facilitate money laundering activities.
Delmastro has consistently maintained that he was unaware of his young partner’s identity and her family background at the time the company was set up. However, that account has appeared increasingly fragile as new details have emerged.
Inconsistencies and legal developments
Several elements have raised doubts about Delmastro’s version of events. These include a photograph published by Italian media showing him together with Mauro Caroccia as early as 2023, before the company was established, as well as documented visits to the restaurant.
Further questions concern the timing of his exit from the company. His shares were initially transferred in November 2025 to a real estate firm he owns, before being fully divested in February 2026, just days after Italy’s Supreme Court upheld Caroccia’s conviction.
Meanwhile, prosecutors in Rome have opened an investigation into Mauro and Miriam Caroccia on suspicion of money laundering and fictitious ownership, seeking to determine whether the daughter may have acted as a front to bypass the legal consequences faced by her father. Delmastro is not under investigation.
Political fallout
The case broke in the final days of the referendum campaign on judicial reform and quickly became a political issue. Opposition parties immediately called for Delmastro’s resignation, accusing the government of downplaying the seriousness of the situation.
Until just hours before his resignation, however, the government – including Justice Minister Carlo Nordio – had ruled out any step back. The decision ultimately came after direct intervention by Meloni, who imposed a tougher line following the referendum defeat.
The timing has fuelled opposition claims that the government held off action to avoid electoral damage, acting only once the vote was over.
Not an isolated case
The controversy is not the first to involve Delmastro. In recent months, the undersecretary had already faced political scrutiny, including a first-instance conviction for disclosing wiretaps related to anarchist Alfredo Cospito and his presence at a New Year’s Eve party in 2024 where a man was injured by a gunshot fired from a weapon owned by former MP Emanuele Pozzolo.
A series of incidents that had gradually weakened his political standing, without leading – until now – to consequences for his role in government.
Domino effect at the justice ministry
Delmastro’s resignation came alongside that of Giusi Bartolozzi, chief of staff at the justice ministry and a key figure in its day-to-day operations.
Bartolozzi had come under fire during the referendum campaign for remarks made on television, in which she urged voters to support the reform, saying it would allow the government to “get rid of” parts of the judiciary, which she described as “firing squads”. The comments triggered strong political and institutional backlash, putting additional pressure on Minister Nordio.
Another resignation?
The most politically significant move, however, came from Meloni herself. In the same statement welcoming the resignations of Delmastro and Bartolozzi, she publicly urged Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè to take a similar step.
The move is notable: until now, Meloni had consistently defended Santanchè despite months of opposition calls for her resignation.
Santanchè is currently facing multiple legal proceedings. She is on trial in Milan for alleged false accounting linked to her former company Visibilia and is also under investigation in a separate case involving alleged bankruptcy offences. In addition, questions remain over an alleged fraud case related to the use of state-funded furlough schemes during the Covid-19 pandemic.
For now, Santanchè has not indicated any intention to resign and continues to carry out her duties. However, Meloni’s public request opens a new political front within the ruling coalition, turning an ongoing legal case into a broader test of the government’s stability.
The original article in Italian by EUalive’s partner FocusEurope.it can be found here.
Caption: Andrea Delmastro, screenshot from Rai3 footage
Updated: March 25, 2026 - 15:36
