Three men, including two brothers known as members of the notorious Lazio Ultras group, have been arrested as part of a year-long investigation into corruption and organised crime linked to the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The arrests, made on 8 October by the Carabinieri in Belluno, concluded Operation Reset, which focused on alleged attempts to infiltrate construction contracts and control local businesses in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
The brothers, who boasted of ties to former Lazio Ultras boss Fabrizio Piscitelli, are accused of running a multi-phase operation. According to the local prosecutor, they allegedly took over drug distribution, seized control of three nightclubs, and attempted to extort the local council into awarding them Olympic construction contracts. One of the brothers' phones reportedly contained a note listing specific construction projects they wanted, including a cemetery area for garages and a tourist village.
The arrests highlight broader concerns about organised crime infiltration in the Games' construction projects. Italy's Antimafia Investigative Directorate reported that 38 per cent of all anti-mafia measures in 2024 related to the construction sector, with about 200 public works sites investigated. The Winter Olympics, with a total cost exceeding €5.7bn, have been identified as a significant opportunity for criminal syndicates seeking to gain footholds in tender procedures.
Anti-mafia groups have responded with initiatives such as the Open Olympics 26 programme, which secured a commitment from Games organisers to publish all financial dealings on a public portal, updated every 45 days. The portal reveals that only €1.6bn is being spent directly on the Games, with the remainder allocated to related works, including €2.816bn on road projects. Many of these projects will not be completed until after the Olympics, with the latest scheduled for 2033.
The brothers have been charged with using the 'mafia method', including extortion, coercion, and intimidation. They allegedly threatened rival drug dealers, dragged a nightclub owner into the woods at gunpoint, and attempted to corrupt a councillor by offering votes in exchange for contracts. Upon arrest, they reportedly declared, 'This is Cortina, we’re in charge here.'
