Irpinia Earthquake Relief Fed Mafia

After the 1980 Irpinia earthquake devastated southern Italy, the government created a massive rebuilding fund that eventually reached about US$40 billion. Corruption, political patronage, and organized crime swallowed much of the money, and reports later estimated that only about one-quarter of the funds went to actual reconstruction. Politicians and the Camorra diverted contracts and relief spending, turning disaster recovery into one of Italy’s most notorious corruption scandals.

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